Countess of Desire (The Young Ancients Erotic Moments Book 1) (13 page)

Though Sara
might well be a bit harder on her about things than her own sister in-law had
been. Possibly worse than Tor. She knew for a fact that the man had never
sought her death, for instance. That was scary to think about, but it really
would
pay to get on the woman's good side. If not, well... Maria could send her off
to complain to King Richard about it? One way or the other she'd make this
work, since they were losing too much time, otherwise.

Forces would be
moving into place. They probably already were. Not in the Capital, but in
Duchies around the Kingdom. Seven ceremonies would be happening just as soon as
the word of the King's death was passed to anyone.

Once done, it
couldn't be undone. Alphonse, or barring him, Karina, would need to present
themselves within a day, to one of those locations to take the crown. If they
failed, then Kedrin would be sworn in, and that really would be that.

Not that
Richard would be dying, but there was a chance that some of the people on her
list could get away, if they got word first.

The rest of the
day she primped, readied her make-up, and managed not to eat much at all,
thanks to her nervous stomach. She started to fret, because there was just
so
much that could go wrong with her plan. If nothing else happened, she'd go into
space under cover of darkness and take the message to the King herself, that
very night. It could give everything away, but waiting would make the
information nearly useless.

Well, at least
it would give them all a chance to hide their part in things. Dig in and
prepare to fight to the death, rather than being taken off guard.

In the end, as
darkness fell, she realized that she'd been worrying far too much. A lovely tan
ship, just large enough for two, settled to the Earth as Maria watched. It
settled slowly, like a snowflake falling on a gentle breeze. The angle shifted
a tiny bit as it fell to the grass, but it was so subtle that no one else
probably realized it had happened. Maria didn't think she would have noticed it
if she hadn't landed one of the things herself. It was very clear that Sara was
a
much
better flyer than she was.

Then, she was
far more famous for being a ship Captain than whatever it was the woman was
doing now.

Waiting for the
woman to get out of the craft, and take it down, Maria raised her hand, Marvin
standing right next to her. She was wearing white, since groveling might be the
order of the day, but the other lady just waved back.

"Count
Ward, Countess." Then she bowed, going respectfully low. Maria matched
her, and Marvin held to just a fraction higher than that. It was his County, so
it made sense. He ruled there. Totally and without reservation.

His voice was
low, but pleasant. Manly, and slightly flirtatious. The woman was attractive,
after all. She had flawless skin, and while a tiny bit thin, it looked good on
her, like she was just very vital and active, not starving due to lack of food.

"Welcome,
Ancient. Thank you for gracing us with your presence."

Maria sighed,
and started to kneel, ready to cry and beg for forgiveness, but before she did
more than get a tenth of the way down, she was taken up in a warm embrace by
the stranger.

"Don't.
Not on my account. Tor told me about what you did, to make things up to him. He
was pretty embarrassed, but it seems like nearly enough. We can place that
behind us? He asked me to. I said that I'd take a few turns with your husband
to set things right. I'm not all that certain I'm up to your level that way
yet."

She snorted,
covering her mouth, so Maria gave her a hard look.

"Oh? So
you aren't
slutty
enough to keep pace with me? That… sounds like a
personal weakness to me." She showed her teeth in a fierce grin, but
didn't back away.

Sara sobered,
her face going calm.

"Me too.
I'm mainly just too busy for the time being. I should make more time for things
like that, but it can be harder to do than it sounds like."

Maria
understood that one.

"Of
course, well, we should get to the meal then, and see about that afterward?
Unless your need that way is too acute? We can do that first? I was thinking
that we could go up later and jump back from space, using our shields, but we
need to see to your needs first. Always." She bowed, wondering how the
heck she was going to turn that into something that would get Sara into the
Palace that night.

She allowed
herself to be taken to the meal however, and didn't claim that she didn't want
to have sex with Marvin, which just made sense. Most women really did, after
all. He was nearly the perfect man. Hers, but Maria couldn't blame them for
wanting a moment or two of his time, could she? Oh, she understood that the
woman had been being a bit catty toward her, but that could be a test, to see
if she was really willing to fix things between them.

The food came
perfectly, and there were fifteen very well presented courses, which took about
two hours. When it was over, Sara stood, then stretched, her hands going well
over her head. Leaning back, still on her feet, her hair brushed the area
behind her knees. It was impressive, but very out of place. Almost inhuman.
Which was the point, Maria knew.

After she stood
back up, she glanced at first Marvin, and then her.

"Now,
we're going to have sex in space? We can turn the gravity off. It's pretty fun.
You just float around, holding on to each other the whole time. You both have
shields for it?" It was a question, but she left the room then, and walked
to the front lawn. "Should we take my craft, or..."

That was just
being polite, because no one had that kind of thing just sitting around, did they?

"Can we
take mine? I need the practice. It's new."

Rather than
seem shocked, Sara just smiled at her, her face almost catlike, for some
reason.

"Perfect.
Let's do that then?"

The trip they
took going up happened in a very bright pink ball of light. She reshaped the
whole craft to be very obvious, and took the whole thing almost straight up,
letting the ship grow as they did it, glowing brighter, so that the vehicle
would be visible the whole time. They were in a small inner portion with air,
and the rest of the thing was made to simply look solid. It was an illusion
really. A thing of seeming, with no reality behind it.

Once in a
secure orbit, holding over Warden, visibly, she hoped, Maria sighed.

"I have a
message for King Richard. I don't know if you are on his side, or that of the
rebels, but what I have will break them, for all time. It's a list of names,
those about to act against him. If we can take them for treason, of which they
are truly guilty, this stupidity will end. I have an offer of exile for Kedrin
Cordes, from Queen Tiera. I know that Richard might not want to kill his own
brother." She stopped then, having no real plan, or idea as to what Sara
might say.

She just stood
and glanced out the window, taking the pinkness into account.

"You want
me to stay here with the Count, having sex, while you jump out and deliver your
note? That's a
great
idea. You'll need to take my ship with you to get
back. Make it the color of the sky on the way back up. Can you dock?"

"Um, no? I
can land, but..."

The woman waved
that away.

"Just go
slow, I'll drop a wall in the back for it. Here, let me show you. Marvin? Why
don't you get out of those clothes? We'll be just a moment."

It really
didn't take that long to get the whole thing explained, and an airlock to be
made, that was clear on the inside. So that she could see Sara taking her
husband into her mouth? It was hard to see it all, but as the solid wall behind
her vanished, it seemed like the woman had taken him entirely down her throat.
That... Was incredibly impressive. She wanted to watch, actually, but didn't,
being pulled outside.

Turning, she
found the glowing purple river around the Capital, and dove toward it, head
first again. It was fun. She kind of wondered what it would be like doing it
during the day? Like sex, no doubt.

Even better
with the lights on.

This time she
landed in the front, and had several large men on her faster than before. Her
hands were out, but no one did anything more than point some weapons at her.
None of them would work however, she didn't think.

"I need
George? I've come to have sex with him." It was a lie, but there was a
soft murmur, and no denials. After all, everyone knew it was the kind of thing
she did, having a lot of good friends. The man was older but fit, too. So, why
not?

It did get the
man out to see her, and a few minutes later she was taken to the dungeon like
safe room, under the palace. Almost in a friendly manner, the man, still
dressed in a heavy purple and black uniform bowed to her.

"I was
unaware that you and I were at that level of friendship, Countess. I take it
that there's more than a simple meeting needed?"

She looked
around, not knowing what she was supposed to do, honestly.

"I need a
message passed to the King. An alibi too, if questioned. So, I can give this to
you, to pass to him? Soon. Tonight. First, we should have that sex. If anyone
asks, I often come to service you. Or at least we've started that kind of
thing?”

The man smiled
at her, and nodded, but made no move to do anything. Finally she shook her
head, making her blonde hair fly a bit. Then she moved in and started to loosen
the front of his pants.

"Seriously,
if I can say that you fucked me, under Truth amulet, very few will ask much
past that. We need to hurry though. I have to get back into space tonight. I
don't know how to do it without being seen. The ships are obvious, even when
you make them black."

The man took
over, rather quickly removing his trousers, moving them down enough to expose
himself. He wasn't hard yet, but he started to get that way when she touched
him. She let her right hand work absently on him. The man wasn't large that
way, being closer to average, but it was enough. She was well taken care of for
the day, so as long as he had fun it was a good enough cover.

Carefully, she
took out the paper she had, a complete letter explaining her thoughts, with all
the names in two lists, and passed it to him with her other hand.

The man took
it, but shrugged, not closing his eyes.

"Use the
flying portion of your shield. It's a bit slower, but you can go from the Earth
into orbit. No one does it, but the Guard has tested that to make certain it
can be done. You came from there, directly?"

She smiled at
him, her hand still moving.

"Yes. It
was the fastest way. I wanted to get Sara Debri to do it, but she wanted to
have sex with my husband worse. So I came, to meet with you, my love. Shall we
now? What do you like?"

He didn't
freeze, or say something sexual. Rather the man seemed to be thinking about
what would be the best course of action.

"The
fastest way for me would be to take you from the front. Perhaps on the table?
If I'm a bit rough about it, I can do it more quickly."

She nodded,
since it sounded practical. At first she worried that she might not enjoy
herself, but as the man thrust into her quickly, she found herself responding.
He released into her, after about three minutes, and while she didn't have a
mind blowing series of orgasms, she shocked herself by having
some
, the
pleasure taking her as he had his own.

"Oh! That's
surprising! Thank you, George. Tell Richard that I'll be by in a few days. As planned?
We'll want to meet, too. If you have the time?" The man hadn't been
skilled, this time, but she'd set the rules for him, hadn't she? Still, it had
worked too.

The head Guard
smiled at her. It was a bit cold, but he simply fixed his clothing, rapidly.
They did have a time schedule, didn't they?

She gave him a
kiss, when they got outside, and then realized that no one would understand
what they'd done, because it had been in secret.

"Heh."
That wouldn't do. The man probably couldn't get it up again that soon either.
Most men couldn't have managed it. Rather than make a problem, she made a point
of holding him for a time. To her surprise he responded perfectly, even grabbing
her ass. "So, in about a week? I have a date with the King, but you, my
love, are very much worth spending time with."

"I'll be
here, Countess. Waiting for the day." It sounded real, when he said it.
Then, Maria meant it, more or less. Even a few turns of what she'd just gotten
would be worth the good will it might engender later. Plus, there had been
something very primal about it.

Nearly perfect,
in its own way.

Carefully,
standing in shadow, she made her clothing look pure black, and then let herself
dart into the air, straight up, as fast as her flying rig would allow. It was
quick, if not as much as a ship would have been.

No one saw her
do it, which was the point.

The most
important one, at the moment. Now it was all out of her hands. Others would have
to do the rest.

The next days
weren't nearly as tense as Maria had feared.

She'd assumed
that it would be all about her fretting the loss of her world, her friends
about to flee from her in droves. Her lovers not paying call on her any longer,
as soon as things were found out. That would be sad, but she didn't let it
concern her. In the end, she was loyal, and had sworn an oath to that end.
Anyone knowing that should have realized she really meant it.

Both her and
her Count had always acted with an extreme eye toward honor, hadn't they? While
others had harmed their people, mistreating them, or acting harshly, they
always doted on
their
people. Loving them, and holding their health as
paramount. That wasn't what all rulers or leaders did, just the good ones.

The only
negative to come out of the whole thing was that Marvin had admitted to her
that Sara Debri had been so far beyond fantastic in bed that no one else had
ever come close to matching her. Maria had almost wished he'd been willing to
lie a bit, to save her from that knowledge, but he smiled at the end.

"Not that
she could hope to hold a candle to you. Yes, she has some interesting tricks,
but she isn't my Maria."

"Oh?"
Maria grinned, wondering what that meant. After all, the woman could take the
full length, and breadth, of the man in each of her holes, a thing that no
other woman had ever managed with him. Just that was nearly a miracle. He was
huge.

Her husband
just smiled at her, and gave her a big hug.

"Well, of
course! I
love
you. Always and forever. No mere trick in the bed chamber
can challenge a thing like that."

Of course. She
knew that one too, didn't she?

"I love
you, too."

Before she
could do anything about it, Marvin's communications device made a buzzing
sound. Frowning, annoyed at the interruption, he pulled it out using two
fingers.

"King
Richard? Is all well? I didn't think that you'd be getting in touch with me any
time soon."

"It's
over, Marvin. We've taken the conspirators. I was hoping that we could have you
and Maria over to a meal in a few days? So that we can inform everyone that your
honor is intact in this?"

"Ah! Of
course! Well, that's good to hear. What do you have planned for them all?"

The King rubbed
at his face, and then shook his head a bit.

"Exile for
Kedrin. He let himself be led astray, but he's family. It would make the
holiday dinners too hard if I had to explain to mother how I had him beheaded.
The others will have to die. I was most shocked to find who was in on some of
this." There was a pause, and a glance over at her. "Also who was
not. I notice that Countess Printer wasn't on the list?"

Maria smiled,
and nodded.

"That's
right. There was no need for her to be involved. She was never a very good
rebel anyway, and hadn't helped them much. So I took her name off the list. You
can put it back on, but this will work better for some others, I think. Petra,
Timon Baker and Tor. Friends of yours, I think?"

The man didn't
deny it.

"Well,
until
I see you next, then. Both of you. We have a
meeting tomorrow night, don't we Maria?"

It was teasing,
but she nodded. Why not? There were worse people to spend time with. Plus, if
she got bored with him, there was always George the Royal Guard. Maybe even
both of them at once?

"I'll be
there. Call it eleven? Is that discreet enough? Put my name on the list this
time?"

He laughed, but
agreed, and so did Marvin. That was one of the things she loved about him most.
He didn't become jealous of her friends, or pleasures.

The King was
very polite to them, making all the traditional leaving messages, which they
both answered back smoothly. In the end, after he hung up, her husband turned
and held her again.

"And so,
love, the blanket of infamy is lifted off our shoulders. Now all we must face
is the wrath of those we spent the last half decade lying to. We'll get through
it. I'm sure our real friends won't abandon us."

She didn't know
that one, but smiled.

"It won't
matter if they do, love. I have you, and that's all any woman could ever
need." They stayed there like that, in each other's arms, for a long time.

It was simply
true.

For all time,
they had each other.

It really
was
enough. More than that.

It was perfect.