Sheala (27 page)

* * * * *

Some two weeks later, snuggled comfortably beneath the blankets on her bed—Gattan spring nights were cold—Sheala dreamed about her husband. Considering their newlywed state, the other men in the family had been willing to overlook the fact that Marljas was shirking some of his duties to spend time with his wife. However, it had been diplomatically pointed out to him that he had not yet taken a night watch in the foaling barn, and a full half of the mares had not yet foaled. It was only fair that he take his turn at night watch in the foaling barn.

Sheala had laughed and told him to go. And so, she’d spent last night alone in their bed for the first time since they’d arrived on Gattan.

Smiling, Sheala willed herself deeper into sleep, for she was enjoying the eroticism of what she thought was a dream.

Nuzzling her neck and breasts, Marljas lay beside her. One hand caressed her hip and back while the other roamed every other curve and crevice of her body. Finally, he dipped his hand between her thighs and gently divided her moist lips in search of the hard little bud hidden there. Sighing, Sheala rolled onto her back and spread her legs as soft chuckles and whispers of endearment nagged her from sleep.

Opening her eyes, she watched her husband’s head slide down her torso until he reached the juncture of her thighs. Once there, his mouth replaced his fingers.

When Marljas’ open mouth and tongue parted the moist lips of her vulva, Sheala almost arched completely off the bed. Using both hands to keep a firm grip on her thighs, Marljas continued to suck and prod and lave until she was mindless with ecstasy. Her orgasm seemed to shatter her into a million pieces.

When she finally regained control of her body, Sheala gazed levelly at her husband and said, “You can’t keep your mouth from me. That’s supposed to be the first gift a Drakian gives to his wife when he learns she carries their first child. I’m not pregnant.”

“And I,” Marljas murmured with a grin as he slid up to lie beside her, “am not Drakian. Why wait for something we both enjoy so much.”

Rolling over and straddling her husband, Sheala pressed both hands against his chest. His hard arousal pressed intimately against her buttocks. “You’re very forward for a male, my love. I have been studying Gattan history, and males historically are submissive to the female members of their families.”

Marljas’ hands moved swiftly. Grasping Sheala’s hips, he lifted her up and impaled her on his throbbing erection. “Dominate me then,
Cheta
. Ride me to the stars and back.”

She needed no further encouragement. Sliding up and down, matching her rhythm to his thrusts, she rode him, gripping and clasping his straining cock with her pelvic muscles until he bucked wildly against her.

They rode farther than the stars.

* * * * *

“Has the message been sent?” Brianna asked.

Nodding, Chardadon watched contentedly as his fiery-haired, strong-willed wife nursed their eight-week-old son. The evening before the Alalakan clan had celebrated the birth of its heir, and he and Brianna had resumed their more than satisfactory sexual relationship.

Grinning fondly, he leaned over and placed a light kiss on his wife’s forehead. “An hour ago. I am sure Sheala is expecting us to arrive any day now. I merely confirmed the arrival date with the message.”

Brianna nodded and switched her son from one breast to the other, a move not as easy as one would think considering he had his very flexible tail wrapped around her arm.

“Now I know what else you Drakians use these tails for,” Brianna muttered, more to herself than to Char.

“But you prefer the uses I put my tail to, don’t you, love?” Char whispered against her neck. His chuckle followed the flush of red that traveled up her neck to her face.

“Stop it. You kept me up most of last night.”

“You seemed to be enjoying yourself.”

“Char!” Brianna gasped when he cupped the breast Connor had finished with.

“Stop fondling your wife,” Bandalardrac interjected as he sauntered into Brianna’s private sitting room.

“A message from Sheala arrived half an hour after you sent yours.”

“How is everyone?” Brianna asked, eagerly forgetting that her bared breasts were fully exposed to Ban’s appreciative gaze.

Ban grinned at her. “Ah sweet Coz, two more beautiful globes of pleasure surely exist nowhere else in the universe.”

“Oh!” Brianna blushed again and quickly covered herself as best she could.

Char roared with laughter.

Sighing, Brianna finally snuggled her son against her shoulder and rubbed his back until he burped.

Drakian sexuality could be frustrating at times. She simply could not adjust to the Drakian nonchalance towards public nudity, especially when Ban kept composing bad poetry about various portions of her anatomy.

It didn’t help that everyone else in the family found Ban’s compliments utterly amusing.

Patting her son, Brianna muttered, “You better not be listening to this, Connor.”

Still chuckling, Ban crossed the room and kissed Brianna lightly on the head. “But you bring so much joy to my life, Coz. What other woman on this planet becomes so embarrassed by a simple compliment?”

Brianna snorted, but before she could say anything, Ban handed a sheet of paper to Char. “It’s from Sheala,” he said.

Seating himself next to his wife, Char read the missive to her.

“Hello everybody. I’m sorry this isn’t video, but there simply isn’t time. The mares are foaling and everything is more hectic than you can imagine! I’ve even taken my turn on night watch, though it proves to be rather boring. Teena and Drefes have absolutely refused to allow Marljas and me to take another watch together. The one night we did, we got…diverted, and two of the mares foaled without any supervision. The mares and foals are fine, but Drefes was somewhat disturbed. Both mares belonged to him.”

Brianna smiled. “Sheala seems to have gotten over her problems with intimacy.”

“She’s Drakian, Coz,” Ban answered in an amused voice. “What did you expect?”

“Oh, be quiet. What else does she say, Char?”

“The head of the Gattan Royal Guard is visiting and has developed an interest in Beti. She’s encouraging him.”

An amazed look crossed Ban’s face. “You have got to be kidding!”

Char shook his head. “No. Sheala is quite specific. Beti says that, if he’s hung half as well as he’s built, he could prove to be an interesting diversion.”

Ban barked with laughter. “That’s Beti, direct to a fault.”

“Every Aradab I’ve ever met is direct to a fault,” Brianna mumbled.

Char glanced down over the sheet and finished. “Everyone is looking forward to our arrival, and when will we get there?”

“The message you sent will be there in two days, so she’ll have her answer,” Ban said. “Now if you will excuse me, I have packing to do, and flight checks to complete. I’ll see you at dinner.”

After gently lifting Connor from his wife’s arms and placing him in the cradle next to Brianna’s chair, Char turned his attention back to his wife.

Leaning down he placed a passionate kiss on her slightly open mouth. “I find that I am sleepy, too.

Perhaps you would care to join me in a nap?”

Brianna wrapped her arms around his neck. It was all the answer Char needed.

* * * * *

In the Alalakan communication center, Ban entered a code known only to him. In a few minutes, an answering light blinked. Message was received and confirmed. If Beti began a liaison with the man in charge of Gattan security, they might just finally be able to infiltrate that very secretive organization.
Chapter Twenty-Three

“A message from Drakan has arrived for you.”

Smiling, Sheala dropped the book she was reading and grabbed the message from Deni. Now that Marljas had helped her overcome her fears of intimacy, her marriage was wonderful, but she had always been close to her family and missed them.

After perusing the message in silence, she quickly outlined its content. “Connor’s introduction to the rest of the Alalakans was a huge success. He even managed to smile at Great-Aunt Bettleinia thereby assuring her undying affection. Char will be taking a few more days to settle some business affairs, and then they’ll come over to introduce Connor to his Gattan relatives here. Rodane and Fionilina are staying home with Mother and Father because of Fio’s unsettled stomach. Brianna calls it morning sickness even though Fio is usually sick in the evening.”

Marljas smiled. “Then she should call it evening sickness, don’t you think?”

Still smiling Sheala shrugged. “You know Brianna. It’s one of her Earth expressions.” She looked back down at the message. “If everything goes according to plan, they should be here in two to three weeks.

Ban will be flying Brianna, Char and Connor over on the
Wanderer
. Since Beti is already here, Brianna was able to convince all the other Aradabs but Kahn and Feni to go back to Mediria. That’s strange,”

she finished.

“What?” Deni asked.

“Bjin has asked to accompany them.”

Teena looked up from the baby blanket she was weaving. “Who?”

“A Deslossian. Right after we arrived in Benishan, their ambassador brought him to our house saying we were the only ones who could help him. He’d just lost his wife in childbirth.”

Deni frowned. “But why would he want to come here?”

Sheala shook her head. “He didn’t tell them. He just said he had to come, and they saw no reason to deny his request.”

Teena set her hand loom on the floor. “We’ll need to decide how to house them properly. As bloodsister to Marljas and sister-in-law to you, Brianna is considered one of the family. Char is your brother, and their child is your and Marljas’ nephew by Drakian bloodline and Gattan blood rite.

Bandalardrac, nephew to the King of Mediria, is not only cousin to Sheala, but also bloodbrother to Sosha who is also bloodsister to you. Two more Aradabs? And what does one do with a Deslossian?”

She shook her head. “Complicated relationships you have managed to form for us, my son.”

Grinning, he shrugged. “I don’t think the Deslossian is related in any way.”

Before Teena could reply to his gibe, Drefes appeared in the doorway. “Marljas, that mare you bought last fall is ready to foal.”

Marljas rose to his feet, kissed Sheala’s forehead, and followed his father.

Smiling, Sheala watched her husband leave the room. Teena and Deni smiled to each other when she stretched complacently. Their knowing smiles in no way embarrassed her.

“I never really did understand what Mother and Grandmother meant to be sexually content until now,”

she purred.

Both Deni and Sheala laughed at the flustered look on Teena’s face. She still wasn’t used to Sheala’s open attitude towards her and Marljas’ sexual relationship, but she was learning. Teena was extremely grateful that Sheala was very circumspect around other Gattans not of the immediate family. Even though he was coming to love his daughter-in-law, Drefes would flee the room when a certain smile appeared on Sheala’s face.

“You gave Marljas and me that entire tower to ourselves, Teena,” Sheala said. “There are more than enough rooms there.”

Deni nodded her head. “A good idea, Teena. I think our people would be much more comfortable with all of you staying together.”

Sheala burst out with laughter. “You mean you’ll be more comfortable knowing exactly where Ban is, don’t you?”

Deni’s answering grin confirmed Shea’s suspicions.

Teena frowned. “Bandalardrac Hardan, the most notorious rake on five planets. More than a few men and women on this planet still believe he kidnapped Sosha and want to castrate him, at the least. But I don’t want him to think we’re segregating him.”

Shaking her head negatively, Sheala swallowed her giggles. “Teena, if you put Ban in any other wing, an inability to find my rooms will be his reason to wander about in every other room in this house. Your maids are going to be distracted enough by him as it is.”

Teena didn’t try to hide her dismay. “His reputation is warranted then?”

Deni grinned as widely as Sheala. “More than warranted. He could charm the birds from the trees.”

Sighing, Teena closed her eyes. “And I have invited him to my house. The queen’s council may never forgive me.”

Both younger women laughed louder at their mother-in-law’s discomfort.

Sosha wandered into the room. “What’s the joke I missed?”

“Bandalardrac,” Sheala and Denieen answered in unison.

Joining in their laughter, Sosha commented, “He’s coming then. The maids will be shirking their work, and will Marljas, Wendjas, and Drefes be able to control all of the jealous men?”

“I’ll make sure Ban knows which maids are married. Challenges from irate husbands couldn’t be shrugged off,” Deni said. “As for the others…”

“I won’t have my maids bothered by the most notorious rake in the universe!” Teena stated emphatically. “The parents of the younger maids will castrate him if their daughters are compromised in any way.”

Still chuckling, Deni patted Teena’s arm. “I spent a great deal of time in Ban’s company while we were on Drakan. You needn’t worry about his behavior.”

“He can be quite courteous and proper when necessary,” Sheala added with a giggle.

“Don’t forget discreet, Shea,” a grinning Sosha added. “Ban can be very discreet.”

Teena gazed from one girl to the next, horror spreading across her countenance.

Sighing, Deni said, “Enough teasing, you two. Don’t worry, Teena. Ban won’t do anything to bring shame or dishonor upon his family or this one. While he may flirt outrageously, he will not compromise any of the maids. You can be assured that Ban won’t do anything to jeopardize the acceptance of Sheala and Brianna by our tribe. I do recommend, however, that you invite two or three lonely widows to visit.”

Teena pursed her lips speculatively as she gazed into her daughter-in-law’s eyes then nodded slowly. “I have some friends who are not interested in finding new husbands, but who do enjoy masculine company now and again. It’s been a while since I spent any time with them. Perhaps a visit would be in order.”