* * * * *
“Come on, Shea, wake up. You’ve been sleeping long enough, and this is our last day here,” Vani said as she nudged her friend.
Sheala yawned and blinked. “Where are you going?”
“You’re coming, too,” answered Vani as Sheala sat up.
Sheala had been so tired when she and Marljas returned to the house, that she slipped into bed naked.
When Sheala sat up, the light sheet that had covered her body slipped to her waist. Both Vani and Jami gasped.
“Shea! What happened to you?”
Looking in the mirror that hung across the room from her bed, Sheala saw what her friends were talking about. Marljas was a thorough lover. Love bruises were evident on both her breasts, and there was a small scab on her neck where he’d nipped her.
Remembering, Sheala smiled.
“You did it, didn’t you?” Vani choked out. “You made love with Marljas.”
Nodding affirmatively, Sheala rose from the bed and disappeared into the bathroom. She returned wearing a silky robe wrapped tightly around her body. But before her friends were able to bombard her with more questions, the door opened and Jenneta walked in.
“So, you’ve finally awakened. I trust you enjoyed your birthday.”
Both Jami and Vani giggled.
Sheala smiled widely. “It was wonderful, Grandmother.”
A speculative expression appeared in Jenneta’s eyes.
“We’re leaving for Benishan tomorrow, and we’ve no idea how long we’ll be there. You’ll have to do your own packing since most of the staff is busy cleaning up. Can you be ready in time?”
“Of course.”
Jenneta turned to the two Medirian princesses. “I expect you two to get busy immediately. I stopped in your rooms before I got here, and I know it’s going to take the rest of the day for you to sort everything out. You won’t have any maids to help you either. Now out with both of you.”
Both girls groaned.
Sheala chuckled as her friends left. Neither one of them had to pick up after themselves at home.
“I promise to be ready on time, Grandmother.”
Jenneta smiled at her granddaughter. “Marljas is a very handsome young man. The family would approve if you decided on him.”
The door closed quietly behind Jenneta, and Sheala hugged herself and smiled. She’d already decided, though the family didn’t need to know that just yet. She’d keep Marljas to herself for a while longer.
* * * * *
“We’re honored by your invitation to stay with you while we’re in your capital city, Jenneta,” Denieen answered when they met on Benishan’s landing pad next to the
Scrathe
and Ban’s ship, the
Wanderer
.
“However, it would be much wiser if we went on to the embassy. It would be extremely ill-bred of us to snub the ambassador and his wife. Marljas, however, will stay with you, if you don’t mind.”
Sheala smiled. She’d been disappointed that she had to fly to Benishan with Ban in the
Wanderer
rather than in the
Scrathe
with Marljas. True, if she’d revealed that she’d taken the Gattan as her first lover, she’d have been able to travel with him. And there was no reason not to tell her family. Still, part of her wanted to keep their relationship secret, at least for a while. What was more, though it was large, the town house was not as big as the estate. There were only a few possible rooms to which Marljas could be assigned.
“Take the first vehicle, Wendjas. I’ve instructed the driver to take you to the embassy,” Char said as he rejoined the group.
As Brianna and Denieen were saying their farewells, Sheala hugged both Jami and Vani. They, along with Meri and her family, would be staying with the Medirian ambassador. Ambassador Prince Kavlalardrac was their uncle and he enjoyed whenever any members of his family could come to visit.
After exchanging quick hugs with Sheala, Jami and Vani disappeared into one of the cars. Shea waved as they drove off.
“Ban,” Char called to his cousin. “I’m leaving you in charge. Make sure everything gets sorted out. I’m taking Brianna home.”
Before Ban could answer, Char swept Brianna up into his arms and disappeared into one of the waiting transports.
Sheala looked around, but Marljas had disappeared.
“Posh,” Jenneta said. “Come along, Fionilina, Sheala, Rodane.”
Ban intercepted Sheala. “I’ll keep Shea with me, if you don’t mind, Grandmother. I haven’t had much of a chance to talk with her.”
Jenneta smiled. “Of course, Ban. Just don’t fill her mind with ridiculous ideas.”
With a rakish grin on his face Ban said, “Nothing more ridiculous than asking for advice about a gift for Brianna’s baby.”
Jenneta smiled back but didn’t answer. With a wave she and her companions were whisked away.
Ban pulled her towards one of the remaining transports. “Come on, Shea. I don’t want to spend the rest of the day here at the landing pad.”
“Relax, Ban,” she answered, somewhat miffed. “It doesn’t take that long to get home.”
“It will today, Coz,” he answered as he pushed her into the transport and slammed the door shut behind her. “Get out, Abas,” he said to the Aradab sitting behind the controls, “I’ll drive. You ride with Beti, Feni and Kahn.”
* * * * *
Sheala glanced towards the driver, but opaque, soundproof glass separated them.
He continued to grin. “Bandalardrac can be a very capable ally, yes?”
Sheala grinned back.
Before he could say another word, she scooted across the seat and plopped herself onto his lap. She wrapped one arm around his neck and freed his cock with her other hand.
“Kiss me. Now!”
Marljas needed no further encouragement.
In the front seat, Ban grinned and turned off the intercom.
A day later, after a quick lunch, Sheala met Jami and Vani, who were accompanied by their Aradab guard Feni, at one of the more exclusive children’s shops in Benishan. They were determined to pick out the best possible gifts for Brianna and Char’s baby.
“I haven’t seen anything I like better than the layette set we saw in the last shop,” Jami said. “I’m going to go back and get that.”
Sheala lifted a bright yellow suit. “I think I may buy the baby two gifts. These suits are just darling, but I also want to get some type of toy. If I’m not here when you return, I’ll be in the toy shop across the street.”
Feni frowned. “You should all stay together. I can’t guard you adequately if you go to different stores.”
Sheala grinned at her. “Relax, Feni. We’re in Benishan, for goodness’ sakes. What could happen to us here?”
“Princess Brianna should have been safe on our Medirian beach, but she was almost kidnapped.”
Jami nudged the Aradab. “Oh come on, Feni. None of us are Brianna.” She turned to Sheala. “We’ll meet you in the toy store.”
Grumbling, the Aradab glanced once more at Sheala, then followed her charges out the door.
After examining the infant clothing for another five minutes, Sheala chose a yellow suit and a green suit.
“Just charge this to our account and have it delivered to the Alalakan town house.”
“Of course, Alalakan dem al’ Sheala. Your purchases will be delivered within the hour.”
Stepping outside, she sucked in a breath of fresh air and headed towards the toy store. A sharp pain in her shoulder caused her to swing around to face the stranger who had jabbed the needle into her. Before she could cry out, however, unconsciousness overpowered her.
“Pardon me, let me through,” the tall man said as he carried Sheala down the street. “My cousin has fainted. I must get her to my transport.”
“Should we call emergency personnel?” a helpful passerby asked.
He shook his head. “No. She suffers from a recurring medical condition. She just needs rest and that she can receive best at home.”
Placing Sheala in the transport parked before him, the stranger shut the door and quickly jumped into the driver’s side. In a few minutes, he had disappeared in the steady stream of traffic.
* * * * *
Marljas froze. Sheala was missing? Where was she?
“A package from one of the infant shops was delivered about an hour ago, but we haven’t seen her,”
Sheala’s mother answered from across the room where she sat with Jenneta. “It’s not like Shea to just leave you. I know she’s got a playful streak, but she never purposefully causes undue worry. When did you last see her?”
“It has been over three hours, Alalakan dem al’ Xdana,” Feni answered from where she stood by the door.
Xdana turned to her mother-in-law. “Where do you think she could be?”
Jenneta shook her head. “I don’t know. She said she was going shopping with Jami and Vani.”
Marljas glanced around the room. Worried looks had appeared on everyone’s face, except Ban’s. The promise of death for someone swam in his eyes.
Marljas blinked and Ban looked as he always had—only just worried.
Marljas blinked again. He must have been seeing things.
Pushing his chair away from the table, Ban sauntered towards the Aradab woman in the doorway. “You all know what Sheala’s like. She gets interested in something and loses track of time.”
Marljas stared at Ban. His voice was calm and reassuring but something about the way he held his body…
Trepidation began to roll in Marljas’ stomach.
“Are people kidnapped on your planet?” Brianna interjected in a worried tone.
Marljas jerked his attention away from Ban and concentrated on Brianna.
Kidnapped? Who would
kidnap Sheala? Why?
Char said only one word. “Bakom.”
Xdana’s scream drew everyone’s attention from the vicious snarl that erupted from Marljas’ throat as he tore the arm from his chair.
* * * * *
Bakom stopped before the Gattan woman’s cage. “Interesting specimen,” he said as he unfastened Eliana’s shirt and absentmindedly stroked her bare breast.
Eliana hid her grimace.
“We’ve discovered that the Gattan can become addicted to mithrin,” he continued. “Once addicted, they are subject to very painful withdrawal symptoms if the drug is not administered on a regular basis.
According to her chart, she received her last injection two hours ago. From ongoing observations, we’ve learned that she’ll be sexually insatiable for two more hours. Then, as the drug begins to wear off, she will regain control of her body. For approximately two hours, she will be as sane and levelheaded as you and I. Then her body will begin to demand the drug until she is mindless with pain. Only another injection will relieve her.”
Biting the inside of her cheek, Eliana nodded. She’d become very adept at hiding her disgust. “Very thorough, Doctor. You must let me see the notes.”
Bakom’s breathing became harsher and his tail began to jerk as he watched the Gattan’s writhing body.
“She’s quite safe now, my dear. She craves sexual satisfaction and is very receptive to anyone who cares to mount her. Odam has enjoyed her body quite often. Of course, we had to remove her claws. They made her too dangerous.” He cupped Eliana’s breast, kneaded it, then dipped his head and sucked on her nipple.
“Doctor, I didn’t know you had arrived.”
Raising his head from Eliana’s breast, Bakom looked over his shoulder. “Eliana, meet Gothran, Odam’s brother. You’ll be happy to know he is as well-endowed as his brother is.”
Gothran only grunted. His eyes were fastened on Eliana’s bare breasts.
As Bakom squeezed her breast again, Eliana heard another door open and shut. Soon a slender woman joined them. Smiling, she walked into Bakom’s arms, her mouth seeking his.
“Eliana, this is Tetiras,” Bakom said when the passionate kiss ended. “You must get to know her better.”
Tetiras turned to Eliana and smiled.
Eliana smiled in return as Tetiras reached out and cupped her breast, very aware that ultimate objective was Bakom’s downfall. She was ready to do almost anything to help bring that about, even have sex with his assistants, no matter how disgusting she found it.
Bakom patted Tetiras’ ass and said, “Not now, my dear, we have other things to do.” Turning to Gothran, he said, “What surprise do you have for me?”
Opening the door to the cage holding the unconscious Drakian woman, Gothran stepped inside, lifted her into his arms, and carried her to an examining table. “Alalakan dem al’ Sheala,” was all he said.
Luckily for Eliana, the other three were concentrating on Sheala, or her painstaking infiltration of Bakom’s closest assistants would have been all for naught. As it was, she was barely able to cover the shock and disgust on her face before he smiled at her.
“A fitting revenge, is it not, my dear? The Alalakans have caused me enough trouble. They attempt to block me in the Ruling Council and their arrogant son Chardadon took the redheaded humanoid from me on his ship. Their daughter is a fair trade for her, don’t you think?”
At that moment, Eliana knew Bakom was insane. No Drakian would countenance the kidnapping of another in retribution for the theft of a so-called specimen Eliana knew to be as human as she was.
“She only reached her majority a few days ago,” Bakom said as he prodded and caressed Sheala’s body. “And her nose stud declares her virginity. It falls to us to introduce her to the joys of sexual intercourse. Gothran, wake her. But carefully. I want her to be able to feel and understand what is happening to her, but in no way is she to have control of her own body.”