Chapter 8

She kissed him more softly as she calmed, sliding a hand between their bodies to touch his crotch, and drew back with a pout when he captured her wrist and forced it to still.

"Don't you want—?"

"Oh, you have no idea how very badly I want," Kallaar said with a rough laugh. "But I am here for you, and there are still matters we must address."

"I don't see why we can't spend a few more minutes on pleasure. I want to see you come. Do I need to make it an order?" His cock twitched, and Shanna laughed huskily. "I see I do. I want your pants open."

He let go of her wrist and fumbled open his breeches.

After pushing his hand out of the way, Shanna drew out his cock and ran a thumb over the wet tip. He moaned, head falling back, and she leaned in to suck eagerly at his throat, low enough that if she left a mark his clothes would hide it. She stroked hard and fast, muffling his groans and pleas with more kisses. They were all the better now they tasted only of the two of them. "Yes, this is exactly what I wanted. You're rather lovely yourself, Kallaar."

He came with another long groan, arms like bands around her as he shuddered.

When their breathing had evened out, he let go and drew back enough to pull out a kerchief. Holding her wrist, he licked her messy hand clean, making her shiver and ache all over again. After wiping her hand, he cleaned himself, tucked away his cock, and balled up the kerchief before banishing it to his pocket.

Draping one arm around his shoulders, she leaned in and said, "I suppose we must resume business. I am honored you and your father find me worth such trouble and risk."

He scoffed. "Your mother did much for us, and we have long desired to return the favor. All that aside, I would never mind being summoned to fight for and protect so fine a princess. So fine a queen. We have always quietly kept watch, to ensure no action need be taken, though at times it was hard to mind our business. We feared the courtship would drive your stepfather to drastic measures, and that more direct protection was finally necessary, and so here we are. Whatever you would like us to do, you've only to say. We are here to serve and protect."

"My stepfather holds power because he has the council in his pocket. I need those men rendered powerless or otherwise removed, though I prefer to avoid violent methods. I have information on all of them; I simply lack the ability to do anything with the knowledge."

"Get the information to me, and we'll take care of it."

Shanna nodded. "Tomorrow is the luncheon. I'll give you my notes on the first three then. In the meantime, see that rumors are spread of us being longtime secret lovers. That should cover the frequency with which we'll be seen together despite it being against the rules of the courtship."

"That won't cause you problems with the other suitors?"

"Hardly," Shanna replied. "Most are only here as a courtesy, the same way they were only invited as a courtesy. The rest are here because my stepfather demanded it, and I don't care what they think. They won't act without my stepfather's permission, even if they do get upset. Anyone else bothered by my rule breaking doesn't have the power to do anything about it."

"As you wish, Highness."

She kissed him again, unable to resist the temptation, then slid off his lap and closed her robe. Pitching her voice so the guards would be certain to overhear, she said, "Goodnight, Highness. I will see you on the morrow. I'm sure I need not remind you to keep this moment private."

He bowed his head low. "You need not, Highness. I hope you sleep well."

"The same to you. Goodnight." Shanna hastened back to her room, closing and bolting the door behind her.

The guard who'd shadowed her would no doubt report to her stepfather first thing in the morning, and rumors would be all over the castle by lunch. Nobody spilled a secret more eagerly than a guard expected to keep them.

Thoughts of guards and secrecy took her mind to the handsome Ahmla. Had he been around somewhere? Kallaar had said he was asleep, but she highly doubted that, if he was as faithful a friend and guard as he'd always seemed. Had he watched them, or looked away until they'd finished? Shanna touched her tongue to her top lip as inappropriate fantasies spun through her mind, hot and sweet—and never to be. Leaving aside that Kallaar and Ahmla would likely never agree to such a thing, whomever she chose as her consort would have to be somebody her stepfather did not think would be better off dead.

In the meantime, she would have to convince Mercen that Kallaar was a harmless amusement and nothing more.

Well, matters could be much worse. Stifling a sigh, Shanna headed to her bed to find sleep, though as often as not all she found was restlessness and bad dreams.