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LANTA RE-READ THE MESSAGES she’d exchanged with the Kgosi. She pulled her eyebrows together, uncertain what to make of them. It didn’t appear like small talk. The conversation had been meaningful, about security measures and concerns, which directly affected Lanta’s job and the welfare of her client. But then he’d told her he was smitten.
Hm.
If her heart hadn’t felt like it would explode from her chest she would’ve asked him what he meant by that. His definition and hers were obviously different. She’d made a fool of herself because of a translation error.
Ugh.
He’d contacted her to thank her for helping him catch a criminal and she’d misconstrued his intent and made it awkward, all because of her feelings toward him. What scared her even more was that she didn’t have anyone to help her through any of this.
Maybe she could discuss it with Elkah? No. Elkah definitely wouldn’t understand, and the conversation about feelings and emotions would only make her uncomfortable.
Lanta was used to being shunned; she’d spent most of her childhood being ignored. Whenever she had an outburst of emotion the Oncuns couldn’t process, they would shut down and wouldn’t acknowledge her. They hadn’t done it to be mean or cruel. They couldn’t process emotional stimuli and their only recourse was to ignore it all together.
Although she didn’t have any ill feelings about being shunned, that didn’t mean she had liked it. Even now anxiety rose in her chest whenever she thought about the possibility of it happening again. If she brought up how she felt to Elkah she may very well listen and offer advice, or she could shun Lanta. Lanta could deal with a lot, but right now being shunned wasn’t one of them.
She sighed and rolled to her back. The bed she was assigned was softer than the one she had back on Luur and once this job was over she would miss it. Greatly.
“Why are you sighing?” Elkah popped one eye open to look at her. She was on her own bed against the opposite wall and had been resting.
“Nothing. Just thinking. I didn’t mean to bother you.”
Elkah humphed and turned, giving Atlanta her back.
Lanta pulled up the messages and read them again. He’d told her she was good at observation. Despite herself she smiled. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d received a compliment. The flutterings in her chest felt nice. Warm.
She was surprised Melis had contacted her. She’d only seen him a few times over the past few days. Una had rather Elkah accompanied her to the events and tours, and relied on Lanta to accompany her for anything that didn’t involve the Kgosi. Una had wondered openly, more than once, why Melis had approached Lanta at the friends and family gathering. Lanta still wasn’t so sure about that herself, or why he’d followed up that meeting with one outside the bathing chamber.
Lanta should’ve been happy Melis hadn’t sought her out again. He’d obviously heeded her words. She should’ve been happy her position was no longer in jeopardy but...
Every time he’d looked past, around, or over her, she’d felt invisible. She didn’t want to be invisible. Not to him. Even though it was her job to blend into the background.
With Melis she wanted to be seen. Heard.
So, what was it? Did she want him to leave her alone or did she want to standout in his eyes?
Both.
I’m a mess.
She turned away from Elkah and brought up the picture of him shirtless and sweaty. A quick glance over her shoulder confirmed Elkah wasn’t the wiser. For good measure Lanta shrunk the holo-pic to a much smaller size and one Elkah couldn’t see over her back.
He was so handsome. Strong. Fierce. And just like that sexual images of him danced through her head. What would it be like to have sex with him? She’d only had it once and the experience had been lacking, but with the Kgosi...ah...she imagined it would be fulfilling.
Would he be gentle? Domineering? Both?
Her chest tightened and her clit became engorged as each thought became more lascivious than the last. Before she knew it, her body thrummed and pulsated with excitement.
“You’re sighing again,” Elkah grunted out.
Lanta shut down the holo-pic and rolled off the bed.
“Where are you going at this late hour?” Elkah asked.
Lanta stuffed her feet into her boots and gathered her towel and change of clothes. “The communal bath. It seems that it’s the only thing that helps me relax at night.”
“Again? This is becoming a nightly occurrence. I hope you aren’t becoming dependent on it. The odds of us being on a job again with access to water for bathing is low.”
“I know. Call me if needed.” Lanta rushed out the door.
* * *
TWO FINGERS GRAZED over her clit. Every nerve ending in the sex organ fired at once and sent pleasure ricocheting up her spinal column. Lanta inhaled a sharp breath. Her eyes fluttered closed.
Once again she was in the communal bath and touching herself there. She needed absolute isolation to partake in her secret pleasure.
The pleasure of thinking about how the Kgosi moved...talked...laughed...breathed.
He’d told her to call him Melis. She would never call him such a personal name out loud, but in her head...no one knew what was in her head.
Thoughts. So many sexual thoughts about Melis.
The jets pulsated around her, pushing hot waves of water across her skin. The more she stroked her sensitive clit, the more engorged it became. A soft moan escaped her lips and she arched her back, raising the tips of her nipples just above the water line, allowing the waves to lick them.
Lanta closed her eyes, imagining it was Melis’s tongue on her. She couldn’t help but notice how flat and wide it was. Would it feel rough or soft against her skin? Rough, she decided.
Melis oozed sex appeal. She could admit that to herself. And to herself she would keep it. No one around her could ever know what she thought when her eyes lingered on him for longer than they should have. That when he licked his lips, she wished it was her nipples his tongue raked across. Or when she watched his hands, she imagined they were on her, touching her in the most intimate places.
Her stomach tightened. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, stifling a groan that was in the back of her throat.
She could never have him. But here, alone, Melis was hers. All hers.
Lanta’s fingers moved with fervor. She undulated her hips, rocking against her hand.
Would he like doing this, touching and stroking her? Would he find her clit odd? Would he fuck her with his small cock, his big cock or both?
She caught her breath at that thought.
“Hello?”
A male’s voice wasn’t what she’d expected to hear. Lanta slipped off the bench and fell deeper into the water, almost drowning herself in the process.
Being interrupted by someone was always a possibility since this was a communal bath. It was a risk she gladly took since there was nowhere in the suite to be alone. But by a male? None were supposed to be here.
Lanta glanced wildly around the room. Except for her clothes neatly folded and occupying a small corner of one of the benches, it was empty. The lighting was cast low. Shadows flickered in the corners. The jets made a faint humming noise.
Lanta wiped the water from her eyes and used an arm to cover her breasts. “Who’s there?”
“Melis.” His voice came from around the corner where the entrance was. “Are you alone?”
Her mouth dropped open. A reminder that he was supposed to leave her alone was on the tip of her tongue. If she were smart, she would tell him to leave. “Yes.”
It didn’t appear she would use any of her smarts tonight.
Melis showed himself, stepping around the corner. His eyes were heavy lidded and the puffiness beneath them was new. He was tired, but that didn’t take away the aura of power enveloping him. “You’re not dressed.”
“You asked me if I was alone. Not if I was dressed.” She lifted her shoulders and tightened her arm across her chest. “Besides, this is a bathing chamber. I wouldn’t be wearing clothes, would I?”
He rested his back against the wall. His posture may have looked relaxed, but with a flash of his fangs, aggression pulsing through the air and the rigid outline of his muscles in the dim lighting, he screamed predator.
Once, a long time ago, the Ngonyama had stalked the prehistoric jungles of Ipakethe and prowled on four feet instead of two. He was eons removed from the four-legged beasts he had evolved from, but she could easily see his ancestors in him, and it made her knees weaken and stomach twist and turn. Especially when he looked at her as he did now.
“What?” She suddenly felt self-conscious when he didn’t respond.
She thought there was lust in his stare, but she couldn’t be right about that. No one had ever looked at her lustfully. The Oncuns had always looked at her with pity, disgust, or curiosity. But never lust.
Lanta lowered into the water up to her neck, hiding. She didn’t compare to the Ngonyama females. Her anatomy was very different. Melis was most likely used to looking at females who were taller, leaner and had three sets of breasts. That didn’t mean he was opposed to two breasted females, some of the female guests were just like her, including Una, but, unlike Lanta, they were all beautiful.
“What?” she asked him again, this time with a defiant raise of the chin, almost goading him to say something negative about her anatomy.
“Nothing.”
“I highly doubt you came here for ‘nothing.’ I’m sure you have more important things to do than seek me out.”
“Who says I’m seeking you out?”
She glanced around the empty room.
Melis chuckled low and her stomach did a flip-flop thing. “I’m that obvious?”
“Do you even have to ask? The question is why?”
“I need you, Lanta.”
Sex. To have sex!
Her chest tightened. It hurt to breathe. “W-why?” she asked in a voice she could barely hear.
“For advice. Of course.”
Of course, not for sex. But, oh, wouldn’t that be nice? He could take her right here on the floor. She would spread her legs wide. A shudder ran through her body.
Melis’s eyes narrowed and he growled low. There was no mistaking that look now. Lust seemed to ooze from his pores.
What am I thinking?
Stop thinking about sex!
Lanta shook her head, trying to shake away the thoughts. There was no way she could have sex with Melis and definitely not here.
“You have an entire security team at your disposal. You don’t need me.”
Melis crossed one ankle over the other. “I had my team check into the tip you gave me about the Nisroc.”
“And?”
“She’d intercepted the invitation and came to Ipakethe under false pretenses. I’ve invited her and her entourage to leave Ipakethe.”
“Invited to leave?” Lanta barked out a laugh. She’d noticed the Nisroc had been missing for days now. “Is that your way of saying you kicked her off the planet?”
“It is.” He tilted his head. “Thank you. How did you know she wasn’t who she pretended to be?”
Lanta lifted a shoulder. “It’s part of my job. Knowing things. I’ve researched all the guests. I had to make sure Princess Una was safe here.”
“Even so, you had the same information that we had, but you were able to see past the face she decided to wear. I’m curious. How did you do that?”
“Her skin. I saw it changing, struggling to hold onto the form she chose. Other species can see it, if they look hard enough. But I think my eyes pick up on it easier.”
One day Aunt Varlah would retire and, although the assumption was she would pass her business to Elkah, Lanta hoped she would be given a place by Elkah’s side. She wasn’t as strong as Elkah, but she’d done all she could to learn what she’d thought were other valuable attributes the business could benefit from. Melis had been right, she was good at observation and one day Aunt Varlah would also recognize that.
“Besides being observant, I’ve learned behind the scenes stuff like contracts, negotiations, and secrets. All the things that would make me a better personal guard.”
“What if I hired you? Could you stay on the planet for a while longer?”
“I’m sorry. All my jobs go through Aunt Varlah, and she doesn’t allow us to take multiple clients at once. Besides, I’ll point out again that you have an entire staff devoted to keeping you safe. You don’t need me.”
“I need your advice.”
“Again—”
He put up a hand. “Not about security concerns, but about the off-world guests. You said you know things. I have room on staff for someone with your abilities.”
It would be a dream to live here in the palace and work on his security staff. But even she knew she wasn’t qualified for such a position. “Let me clarify. I don’t know everything,” she admitted.
“What do you know about me?”
She studied him. He was strong, confident, used to getting his way. “That’s easy. You’re looking for a mate who will be able to help you advance your planet’s standing and unite the other Kgosis.”
He gave her an appraising look. “I mentioned before, somewhere, that I want to raise Ipakethe’s class ranking. But I’ve never mentioned publicly that I wanted to unite the other Kgosis.”
“I came to that assumption on the way to Ipakethe. I’d wondered why you invited off-worlders, and only those with significant standing within the Galactic Council. You’re also inviting the guests to meet merchants and business owners. You want to establish lasting relationships in hopes of exporting goods and services off-world. You can do that alone, but, because you’re looking for an off-world mate, it leads me to believe you have a grander scheme in mind, which involves the entire planet. It wasn’t hard to put together.”
“Everyone invited can help Ipakethe in one way or another.”
She thought about the guest list. He was right. From what she’d read about the planet and what she knew about the guests, they all could help him secure trading outlets and build alliances. But not everyone was right for every job.
“Cull the herd.” When he raised an eyebrow, she continued. “All of the females you’ve invited have the connections you want. Their files look good and you did right by selecting them to visit. But now you’ve met them, you’ve had an opportunity to get to know their personalities. You should know by now that some of your guests might damage you in ways you might not have imagined. You might have assumed that because they are privileged and have high stations, they are refined and cultured. But not everyone here is...smart, nor do they share your vision for Ipakethe. Their families may have the connections you desire, but they, themselves, may not be suitable for your needs.”
She hated to voice her opinion. She’d just described Una and, in doing so, effectively told him to send her client home. If Una left, so would she. Lanta wasn’t ready to leave him, but it would happen anyway, whether tomorrow or a week from now. He was not for her.
“I’m keeping notes on everyone. And yes, I’ll cull the group. I plan to make a decision on who will stay and who will leave within the next few days.”
Lanta’s heart dropped. Surely Una would be on the go home list. The princess had proven at every turn she wouldn’t be a suitable queen. Melis cared for his subjects. Unfortunately, Una hadn’t shown she cared for anyone beside herself.
“See? I need you.” His voice was as low as a purr. His tail swished behind him.
Atlanta suddenly wanted to touch it. Stroke it. “Why? I haven’t told you anything that you didn’t already know.”
“You don’t give yourself enough credit. You’re very smart, Lanta. I didn’t know about the Nisroc, or the female who posed as a member of my waitstaff.”
She lowered her head, uncomfortable with the praise, mainly because she hadn’t heard it often. “You would’ve known about the Nisroc in time. Especially after most of your valuables turned up missing.”
Melis chuckled. It was deep and low and felt good on her ears. “We recovered many trinkets from her bags.” He held up his fingers. “Even my shiny rings.”
A laugh burst from Lanta’s throat.
––––––––
THE ELDERS OFTEN TALKED about an afterlife, and how it was a paradise where every Ngonyama found their lifemate. Melis had been resigned to the fact that’s where he would meet Lanta again, after he let her go in this life. But now, hearing her laughter in his ears, having it penetrate his skin and take root in his soul, he knew paradise wasn’t a place. It was her.
As soon as Melis had stepped into the enclosed chamber he could smell her. Her arousal permeated the air. He’d done all he could to ignore her essence and carry on a conversation, even while his emotions warred within his core. To keep his composure, he’d had to keep his distance.
As his blood called out for her, something deep inside his body pulled toward hers. He’d leaned his back against the wall and gripped one of the pegs used to hold drying cloths and garments to keep himself from going to her. And when he wasn’t sure that was enough, he’d crossed his ankles in an effort to stay in place.
He could barely think with the humming in his head. It happened every time he saw her. It was as if he was coming awake for the very first time. When Lanta wasn’t near, the humming became a song of sorrow and longing.
He hadn’t lied; he needed her.
He needed to be in her presence.
He needed to be in her space.
He needed her to look at and talk to him.
He thought he could work through his emotions. Abide by her wishes and leave her alone. But he couldn’t fight the overpowering feeling any longer. And he found he didn’t want to.
Lanta was his paradise.
Melis crossed the room. Her eyes rounded in surprise. He stopped at the lip of the pool and held out his hand. “Come to me, Lanta.”
She hesitated. Unsure. Then she climbed the stairs. Water dripped from her naked body, rolling down her skin in fat drops. She seemed smaller now. More vulnerable.
She was perfection.
He pulled her closer and, while doing so, she dropped the arm shielding her breasts. He groaned as he gazed upon them. They were beautiful and full. He couldn’t resist. He took them in his hands, feeling their weight in each one. As he caressed them, running his thumbs softly across her hardened nipples, Lanta let out little moans.
The holo-file stated human females’ erogenous zones included lips, breasts, and vulva. Surely, there were more than three? The Ngonyama had twenty-two. There had to be more. And he would find all the hidden treasures she had to offer.
Melis was nervous. It was apparent by the way his hands shook as he caressed her. He’d dreamt of this moment for a while now. All his research on how to please a woman would be put to the test. The writing in the holo-file had been rudimentary at best, but it was all he had to go on, and asking Themba was out of the question.
She angled her chin to look at him. “Will you kiss me now?”
Ancients. Yes.
Melis wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her closer with a grunt, crushing her breasts against his body. The wetness from her seeped into his clothes. Melis didn’t care about any of that as he lowered his head and crashed his mouth against hers.
He didn’t waste any time with playing and teasing her lips. He breached her mouth with his tongue and felt the warmness of hers. She gasped when their tongues met.
Her heart beat so hard that it slammed against his chest, matching the beat of his own. Their tongues played and dueled each other. Her hands found their way to his neck, then roamed to tangle in his hair. Her nails scraped across his scalp and he became undone.
His cocks throbbed painfully. He wanted her. Here. Now.
He moved, walking her back, searching for a bed that couldn’t be found.
“Lanta? King Melisizwe?”
Melis ripped his mouth from Lanta’s with a growl. Who interrupted him! He snarled at the speaker, showing his teeth. When Lanta tried to step away, he held her tightly around the waist. He couldn’t bring himself to relinquish his hold on his true lifemate.
Princess Una’s Oncun guard stood at the doorway. Shock written across her usually emotionally flat face. She glanced from Melis to Lanta. Her mouth opened and closed as she searched for her next words.
Then she found them. “Ancients, Lanta. What are you doing?”