Mica (19 page)

“Dame Sun.” Mica stroked her ribs and ran his palm over her belly. He cupped her rose-tipped breasts and stroked the nipples to straining peaks.

Sun tugged the sheet off him and reached for his trousers. His body tingled with anticipation as she tugged them off then dropped them beside her vest.

With his body completely bared to her touch he fought for control of his excited breathing.

Kneeling between his legs, she leaned forward and splayed her hands across his chest. Massaging in circular motions, she left not an inch of his torso untouched. Where her hands roamed her lips followed, teasing and arousing him. She licked his nipples
and lapped him from breastbone to the base of his belly while Mica floated on a haze of passion. Using the tip of her tongue, she traced the line of his pubic hair while squeezing and caressing his hips.

She straddled his hips and unwound her hair from its braid. Her fingers ran through the thick, blonde tresses. Unable to resist, he gently grasped a golden lock and caressed it.

A coquettish smile touched her lips and she arched her back slightly. The position offered him a perfect view of her uplifted breasts, the nipples extended like rosy peaks against her creamy flesh. Goddess she was beautiful. She bent forward, brushing his chest with her hair, and inched her way down his body. Her soft locks caressed his belly and swept his straining cock. The faint, tickling sensation aroused him more than he dreamed possible. Leaning lower, she used her nipples to caress him from cock to chest by moving her body up his.

“You feel so good, Dame Sun,” he breathed.

“So do you, Mica.” Stretching out on top of him, breast to chest, thigh to thigh, his cock trapped between the sensual nest of their mingling pubic hair, she licked his neck.

Tenderly she nipped the flesh. Inching lower, she gently bit his shoulder then pressed her teeth to his solid chest muscles.

His heart pounding, he watched her lick the indentation of his hips and thighs.

When she’d finished she began lapping first one inner thigh then the other. Mica longed to close his eyes to better enjoy the sensation but he didn’t want to stop looking at her.

She took his balls in her mouth and sucked, her hair teasing his stomach. Gasping, he clutched handfuls of her hair and spread his legs wider so she could settle more comfortably between them. Nothing felt as good as making love with her.

Releasing his sac from her warm, wet lips, she pressed fluttering kisses to the base of his staff then traveled upward. She laved the straining rod then nibbled it from head to base and back again. The pleasure was so intense he nearly lost control of himself.

Her lips pressed against the ridge along the underside of the bulbous head. The woman had stolen his heart and pleased his body like no one he’d ever known. She was his perfect match, the mate he’d dreamed of.

The arteries in Mica’s neck throbbed as he arched his head into the pillows and his eyes slipped shut. His heart pounded. Passion filled his entire body and mind. He tingled with impending orgasm, his cock stiff and aching, his need almost painful.

Sun’s lips were on his cock head now. She sucked him into her mouth and ran her tongue over the bulging crown. The tip of her tongue traveled along the underside and tickled the ridge before she sucked short and fast then so deep that he brushed the back of her throat.

“Dame Sun,” he panted with almost unendurable pleasure. Goddess, she knew how to make love to a man.

His hips thrust upward, his buttocks taut and his legs as steely as his cock. One of her hands grasped the base of his erection while the other squeezed and caressed his
balls. Mica struggled to keep from groaning. He hoped no one decided to barge in through the unlocked door. In another second it wouldn’t matter. He was headed for the most tremendous orgasm of his life.

He gasped, a raw sound of pure desire and came just as his cock popped free of her mouth. Pure ecstasy overcame him. His seed spurted in a climax of such length and intensity that for several moments he was unable to move but lay on his back, gasping, his pulse racing.

Opening his eyes, he saw her gazing down at him with a half smile on her lovely lips, her breasts and belly streaked with his essence. Her fingertips stroked his stomach then trailed up his chest and caressed his cheek. Grasping her hand, he kissed her palm.

Sun glanced at her torso. “I need to clean up.”

She approached the table and dipped a cloth into the basin of water. Pleasantly drowsy and satisfied, Mica joined her, tugged the cloth from her hand and grasped her wrist. He sat on the bed and guided her between his legs. With the utmost tenderness he wiped his semen from her breasts and belly, wanting to show her through touch how much she meant to him. When she was thoroughly clean he placed the cloth aside and continued sweeping her soft curves with his hand. He kissed first one breast then the other.

“Oh, Mica,” she purred, settling onto his lap. She wrapped her legs around him.

Moisture from her pussy seeped onto his skin, a most pleasant sensation.

Grasping a handful of her hair, he took her lower lip between his teeth and sucked on it. She moaned, squirming against him, her hard nipples scraping sensuously against his chest.

“Dame Sun.” In a swift motion he pushed her onto her back. His lips fastened on her nipple and he sucked hard. She panted and writhed, murmuring his name. Slashing his tongue across the nipple, he gently pinched the other one then rolled his thumb over it.

He kissed beneath her breast in a sensitive place that made her giggle and squirm.

The sound of her laughter sent warmth throughout his entire body. Placing his lips to her stomach, he sucked and licked her flesh. He moved lower and she hooked her legs over his shoulders. Mica clasped her bottom and kneaded the satin-skinned globes. His tongue explored her clit and rimmed her pussy lips, savoring her texture and taste. He used the tip of it to tease and tickle her perineum. Goddess he could touch her all night.

He loved the way she writhed and whispered breathless words of encouragement.

His lips fastened on her clit, he sucked and licked relentlessly. Locking her ankles behind his neck, she thrust her hips and burst in orgasm, her soft, damp flesh throbbing against his tongue.

Mica prayed the portia would cure him. More than anything he longed to make love with Sun when he was at full power, ready and able to claim her with all the passion and strength such a marvelous woman deserved.
* * * * *

Mica awoke ravenous and well rested. He washed in the basin of water on the table in his room, slipped a robe over his naked body and carried his clothes down to the bathing chambers.

Two Priests and a Messenger swam in the warm water. Upon seeing Mica, one of the Priests approached the edge of the pool. “How are you? We heard you were ill again.”

“I’m better, Val.”

Mica shrugged off the robe and approached the water. Val’s gaze swept him.

“Almost ready for the ritual?” the eunuch asked.

Mica’s stomach flip-flopped a bit. He told himself it was due to hunger and ignored thoughts of making love with Dame Sun or rather
not
making love with her.

“I’m dedicated to the Goddess.”

“None of us doubt that, Mica, but Priesthood isn’t for everyone.”

“He’s right.” The Messenger, floating on his back, drifted closer to where Mica and Val were talking.

Val’s brown eyes looked far off for a moment. “Maybe if I had the choice my life would have been different. When I endured the ritual boys were chosen. Now at least Priests make their own decision to mold themselves in the Goddess’ image.”

“It’s good that some traditions change.” Mica dropped into the pool, ducking under to wet his hair. Black tendrils wrapped around his arms. He unwound them. “I should cut off this mess.”

Val grinned. “And lose profit for selling it off piece by piece in the marketplace?”

“Imagine the price I’d get for the whole head?”

Val leaned closer to Mica and whispered in his ear, “Are you sure the pretty blonde Dame wouldn’t miss it along with
other parts
of you if you get my meaning?”

“She’s a friend.” Mica reached for a cake of soap on the edge of the pool and scrubbed, avoiding Val’s gaze. Sometimes the Priests and Messengers were so damn nosy.

“Friendly of her to spend the night in your bed.”

Mica glared at Val. “What do you know about that?”

The eunuch raised his eyes toward the heavens. “
Everyone
knows. The High Advisor sent someone to check on you to make sure you were all right. When he saw the Dame with you he assumed you were quite well enough.”

“I was half dead, Val. Trust me, after a bout with bog tremors I can do no more with a woman than you can.” At least that had been true before. Sun had certainly inspired a miracle this time. “Who is spreading these stories? I don’t want Dame Sun embarrassed.” Mica’s teeth ground with fury at such gossip. In his anger he squeezed the thick bar of soap in half. Both pieces plopped into the water.
Val edged away from Mica, his eyes wide. “Don’t worry. It was only spoken of among the Priests. Besides if the woman is so concerned with rumors what was she doing in your chamber?”

Mica washed the soap off his hands and reined in his temper. Usually he wasn’t so easily agitated. He blamed his foul mood on the aftereffects of bog tremors. “Dame Sun is a decent woman. If it hadn’t been for her I might have died in the desert this time.”

“No one doubts her decency,” said the Messenger. “She spent the morning helping in the temple and caring for orphans. We just wondered if maybe you were having second thoughts about the Priesthood.”

“Seriously, Mica,” Val said. “If you want to endure the ritual it might be a wise idea to keep the woman out of your bed. The High Advisor might revoke his decision and ask you to become a Messenger instead.”

“It’s not all that bad either,” the Messenger said. “My wife and children like me intact.”

Mica ran a hand through his hair. Both of them were right. Being a Messenger wasn’t such a horrible idea but if he wanted Priesthood he would have to keep his hands, lips and thoughts off Dame Sun at least in a sexual manner. Impossible. How could he keep from kissing and touching the woman any chance he got? Still it could never amount to anything more than many wonderful memories. Soon she would leave the Kennas. Even if she didn’t he had little hope for a future.

He finished washing, braided his hair and dressed. After eating he walked to the emperor’s chamber where the emperor, Kado, Sun, Blaze and General Kasir sat around a marble table.

“Glad you could make it,” the general said.

“How are you feeling?” Kado asked. Though the High Advisor must have known about his night spent with Dame Sun, his expression revealed nothing.

“Much better. I’m sorry I slept so long. I guess traveling yesterday was more tiring than I imagined after the attack.”

Sun smiled. “Yesterday? You’re a little behind, Mica. We arrived the day
before
yesterday.”

Mica’s face heated with embarrassment. “I’ve been asleep for a day and a half?”

“A good thing too,” Blaze said.

“My apologies—”

The emperor waved his hand. “Not necessary. Please join us. We have much to discuss.”

Mica took his place at the table beside Sun. She cast him an affectionate glance that warmed him deep inside.

“I sent a Messenger to find Zareb and the Bedouins so they’ll know what’s happening,” Kado said.

“Our proposal was to have them move to Ademene until the threat is over,” the
emperor continued. “However, they have refused.”

General Kasir shook his head. “The fools.”

“The Bedouins are very independent,” Mica said.

Kasir looked disgusted. “That independence might just get them killed. We cannot risk soldiers to help those who won’t help themselves. I know the Bedouins have their own warriors but they won’t survive against the army you described.”

“And of course Zareb refuses to leave them,” Kado said.

Mica sighed. “I’ll ride out and talk to them but I doubt they’ll listen to me.”

“I’ll go with you,” Sun said.

Kado’s gaze flickered between the Dame and the Priest in Waiting. Mica’s stomach clenched. Surely the High Advisor would not condone their obvious attraction to one another.

“I don’t want to burden you with another desert journey,” Mica told her.

“It’s no trouble.”

“I can assign another Priest in Waiting to travel with you,” Kado suggested.

Sun leaned back in her chair. “We can take care of it. I saw how short you are on help when I visited the temple in the city square this morning.”

Kado turned to Mica. “Will you need further assistance to keep this journey safe?”

He understood the High Advisor’s implication that he and Sun might need a chaperone. “No, it will not be necessary.”

“We should leave right away,” Sun said. “The sooner we go the sooner we will get back to help with defenses.”

“When you return you will be acting as my consultant,” the emperor told Mica.

“It’s my honor to serve you again.” Mica bowed from the neck.

“Mica, before you go I must speak with you,” the High Advisor said.

Mica resisted the urge to clench his teeth. He knew what the discussion would involve.

“I’ll meet you in the stable,” Sun called over her shoulder as she left the chamber.

Kado and Mica walked to an empty conference room just outside the great hall. The room’s only furnishings were a round wooden table and four chairs cushioned in red velvet. Settling into one of the chairs, the High Advisor motioned for Mica to sit.

“I’m glad you’re feeling better,” Kado said, his expression sincere. “You’ve been an excellent Priest in Waiting and a wonderful friend.”

“Thank you.”

“As a friend I don’t want you to make a wrong decision about your life.”

Here it comes.

“I know about Dame Sun spending the night in your chamber in the Priests’ hall.”

“I—”
Kado held up a hand. “I don’t need details. There are no restrictions about Priests and Messengers having relationships even though it’s assumed a Priest or Priest in Waiting will not have companions other than in friendship.”