CHAPTER TWELVE

Tigh grinned at her, as did his grandmother. They spent the next hour getting acquainted. Tigh checked discreetly on the arrivals of the rest of Ginny’s crew members, assured by his household staff that they’d all been welcomed and shown to their rooms along with their bags. The ladies were reported to have declined the help of adult male servants, but without fail, each allowed some of the dowager’s page boys to help them unpack. He was warmed by the thought. Those little boys had flocked to his Nana—the one rare source of maternal presence in their short, troubled lives. It was a good sign that the Velkir seemed to understand and were already showing compassion for the youngsters.

“Your crew are unpacking in their quarters, Ginny,” Tigh said as he returned to the ladies. He could tell his Nana was tired, though the old lady would never admit to any such weakness. “I think we should do the same. I had your belongings moved to my suite. I hope you don’t mind. We’re not married according to your laws yet, but mated pairs in our society are not kept apart.”

“I don’t mind, Tigh. I came here to be with you.” Ginny rose, following his lead beautifully. She tucked her smaller hand in his. “Will we see you at dinner, ma’am? I hear there’s a celebration planned.”

“I wouldn’t miss it.” The dowager smiled broadly.

They took their leave in short order, and Tigh’s pulse leapt as he drew nearer the emperor’s suite. They’d have an hour or two to themselves, and he knew just how he wanted to spend that time.

He stopped beside a large doorway attended by two liveried soldiers. He bent down and swept Ginny into his arms, picking her up before nodding to the men to activate the portal.

“What?” she asked breathlessly as he hoisted her into the air. She had a smile on her face but was clearly caught by surprise.

“I read up on your customs, my love. I am merely carrying my bride over the threshold of our new home. It’s supposed to bring good luck. Personally, I think we can use all of that we can get.”

Ginny laughed as he crossed into the emperor’s suite. He was glad he could make her smile. He lived for her smiles.

“Oh, Tigh, this is beautiful.”

Tigh set her down and looked around the front room of the suite. It was the one place he’d left intact after returning to the palace. It was his one reminder of happier times with his brother and sister-in-law. Tigh remembered those first few months after Elius had taken the throne and how excited Marla had been to redecorate everywhere in the palace, including this room—the drawing room to Tigh’s old suite.

Marla had been friend to both brothers as they grew up. She’d probably hoped to marry Tigh at one time, but when he decided to follow the path of the Zenai priest and give up the throne, she’d turned to Elius, instead. Tigh didn’t mind her defection. They’d been good friends. Nothing more. He’d kissed her once, and that one time was enough to tell him she was not his destined mate. He didn’t hold her desire to be empress against her. She was a good woman at heart, though a little more hungry for power than Tigh.

Then again, it seemed everyone was hungrier for power than Tigh himself. Perhaps that was the distinction that would make him a good emperor. Goddess willing, he’d give it his best shot. Memories came rushing back as he looked at the room Marla had been so proud of.

“I had a lot of the rooms cleared out when I came back to the palace. All except for basic furnishings in most of the suites have been removed to storage. You can rummage around in the storage areas for any pieces you might like, or commission new things from artisans. Whatever you like.” He picked up a trinket Marla had put in the room to make it look more lived in than the rest of his suite. He distinctly remembered her teasing him about how stark his tastes were. He’d appreciated her efforts, though the room had never felt comfortable to him with all the artificial decorative items left lying around that he had no use for. “I left this one room as it was to remind me, but it’s not necessary now.” Tigh tugged Ginny back into his arms and nuzzled her neck from behind. “I want you to redecorate the whole palace, Gin. I want you to put your mark on this place and make it a home for us. This room included. I don’t need any more reminders of the past. We have a future to nurture now.” He let her go and walked toward a set of doors that led to another part of the large suite.

“I’ll be happy to redecorate, if that’s what you really want.”

“As you can see from the rest of this suite, my idea of decoration is sorely lacking. If you don’t take this place in hand, it’ll look more like a monk’s cell than an emperor’s home.” He laughed as she joined him at the door. The bedroom was indeed, sparsely decorated, with only Tigh’s ceremonial swords draped above the large bed that dominated the center of one wall. The bed linens and hangings around the room were red and black—the colors of the Zenai priesthood. “My sister-in-law, Marla, went in for all kinds of frills and ruffles. While I wasn’t fond of that, even I can see this is too stark for a lady.”

Ginny snorted. “I’m not exactly the frill-and-ruffle type myself, in case you haven’t noticed.”

“Oh, I noticed.” Tigh looked her up and down as she stood at his side. He licked his lips. She looked good enough to eat.

The nervous fire that flared in her eyes was enough to set his hunting instincts on full alert. She backed away, and he moved after her, quietly stalking her as she moved closer to the bed, leading him just where he wanted her.

“Those are beautiful swords. Ornamental?” She turned a questioning, challenging gaze to him.

Tigh’s lips spread in a predatory grin. “Functional, as well. They have passed down the centuries through my line from emperor to emperor. They’ve been used in battle more than a few times and have seen their share of blood. I keep them nearby to guard my sleep. It’s something quite a few of my ancestors have done, though my brother thought it a silly tradition. Too bad, for they might’ve saved him when his wife killed him in his sleep.”

“That wasn’t here?” Ginny looked appalled, and he was glad he’d upset the floorplan of the palace when he reclaimed it.

“No, love. There are no ghosts in these rooms. They were my quarters even before I left for the Zenai mountain. They were kept empty while I was gone, and since I returned, the only things I added to this suite were those swords. They’d been hanging in the audience hall when Elius was emperor, but I wanted them nearby, as my father had kept them close. They bring back good memories of my parents and my childhood. They’re what inspired me to train with the Zenai in the first place. I used to sneak into my parents’ room during the day while they were both busy and just stare at them, wondering what tales they could tell.”

“That’s a nice memory, Tigh.” Ginny moved back to him. “I’m sorry for all you’ve lost. I know how it feels, if that’s any consolation.”

He tugged her close, burying his face in her hair, inhaling her luscious scent. “It is, my love. Though I could wish that neither of us had been through such sorrow, I’m glad for it in a way, because it brought us together. I wouldn’t want to have lived this lifetime without you.”

“You say the sweetest things, my liege.” She blinked up at him, teasing him with her saucy glances.

Tigh pinched her bottom, liking the way she squeaked and tried to move back, but he didn’t let her get far. He herded her toward the bed, sweeping her legs out from under her when she was close enough so she fell backward onto the plush mattress.

“Strip, slave girl. Then attend me.”

“My liege?” She blinked up at him, playing along.

“You heard me, girl. Undress yourself, then me. I’m impatient tonight. Don’t make me wait or you’ll feel the consequences.”

Ginny knelt up on the bed, sliding her nimble fingers to the closures of her clothing, undoing each catch slowly while she teased him with her eyes. “What sort of consequences, my liege?”

“You’re tempting fate, my dear. Tease me much longer, and you’ll find out firsthand.”

“Do you promise?” When she licked her lips, he knew she was playing the same game and loving every minute of it.

This was something new for them—a foray into fantasy where he could dominate his powerful mate. It was something he needed. Most jit’suku males were dominant by nature, though human females weren’t always suited to the kind of submission most jit males wanted from them. Tigh had been willing to take whatever Ginny would give him, and he had no complaints, but she’d yet to give him that final, total, complete trust that would state more clearly than anything else her love and utter trust in him. It was something he discovered he needed, much to his surprise, before he tied his life to hers in front of their people. This moment out of time was an epiphany for him—for them—though she didn’t realize it yet.

With a growl, he joined her on the bed, rough, yet mindful of her delicate condition, as she jokingly called it. He’d never hurt her or the babies, but he would discover the limits of her trust—her love—for him. It was suddenly something more important than anything else.

Tigh would have stopped to wonder why now, but the light of the Goddess pulsed its demand. It hadn’t quite fled either of them, though neither would realize that until much later. They came together with sparks showering from where they touched. Tigh grabbed her wrists, locking their lips together in an act of domination and love that merged his breath with hers until he didn’t know where he left off and she began.

And it was only the beginning.

He pushed her down on the soft mattress, pinning her wrists on either side of her head, kissing her with all the pent-up passion in him. When he let her go, it wasn’t far. He still held her wrists but levered up a short distance to look down into her smoldering eyes.

“You don’t obey very well for a slave girl.”

“Good thing, since I only answer to a man who can master me. So far, no one has.” She lay down the gauntlet, playing the game as he’d hoped she would. His vixen of a mate was up for anything, it seemed.

“That’s all over, now. I’m the only man who will claim you,” he placed a quick love bite on her jaw, “and master you,” another bite near her collarbone, “and have you.” He zeroed in on her breast, this time, making her yelp, though not with pain. She was surprised more than anything, if he judged her tone correctly. A quick glance into her eyes reassured him that he hadn’t given her anything she didn’t want or couldn’t handle. “For the rest of your life.”

She moaned as he returned his attention to her other breast, sucking and laving the taut peak with a slightly rougher touch than he’d ever given her before. She spasmed in his arms with need, and he knew she liked it.

But the game wasn’t over, yet. Not even nearly.

With only a small bit of reluctance, he rolled off her to sit on the side of the high bed.

“Stand here, girl. Between my legs.” She complied readily, standing there, watching him with curious, excited eyes. “You are disobedient and willful.” He tugged at the closures on her clothing as he spoke, stripping her with rough movements that had her naked in short order. She stood before him in a puddle of her clothes, her lush body making his mouth water, her luscious scent filling his nostrils with yearning. “Turn,” he instructed, twirling a finger in the air as he looked his fill at her voluptuous form. She complied, but slowly, so he swatted her fleshy ass, satisfied when she jumped and turned a bit faster.

He stopped her when she faced completely away from him, cupping her ass in both hands and squeezing. She had a bitable ass that was just begging for his hands, his mouth, his teeth. He leaned forward and nipped her, pleased when she jerked and her breathing came faster.

“Bend over, slave girl. Show me your charms.”

She hesitated long enough to earn another soft whack on her quivering cheeks, but eventually, she bent from the waist, revealing a thin strip of pink between her creamy thighs.

“Spread your legs, girl, and lean all the way forward. Touch your toes and show me your pussy.” He nudged her bare feet with his booted toe, forcing her feet wider apart as her creamy center was slowly revealed. “That’s nice, slave girl,” he said approvingly as he feasted his eyes on the look of her and felt the satisfaction of her compliance. Would she be as up for what he planned next? Tigh would take it in slow stages, both to savor her surrender and to secure her participation. They both liked it when things progressed from spark to flame in the fullness of time.

Tigh reached out and stroked through the wetness already gathered between her thighs with one finger as she shuddered. He brought his other hand forward and used his fingers to spread her inner lips, revealing the tight hole that wept in anticipation of his claiming. Spearing inside slowly with one finger, he felt her whole body tremble in awareness of that most intimate touch. He felt an answering tremble in his own body as she stood there and took what he’d give her, a willing slave to his passion and her own.

Rubbing lightly, he began to stroke inside her core with deliberate movements while his other hand gathered the moisture that spilled from her needy core and moved upwards toward the little opening that teased him so. She shied away when he pushed inside, but he pulled the finger from her pussy and slapped her inner thigh. Just once. Until she stilled.

“You’re my slave girl, remember. I can do with you as I will.” Tigh renewed his efforts, pushing one finger into the small pucker of her ass while she stood there, taking it. “Repeat my words, slave girl. I can do with you as I will.” His other hand hadn’t returned to her pussy, and he used it to slap her once more as he pushed that lone finger a little deeper into her anus. “Say it, girl,” he demanded.

Another whack brought forth the words he so wanted to hear.

“You can use me as you will.” Her breath came in pants as he slid his finger all the way inside her, rocking only slightly as she got used to the feel of him.

“You’re a good little slave girl,” he praised her as he leaned forward to nip her ass. It was just too tempting to resist. “For that, I will give you a reward.”

Tigh pulled away, taking only a moment to drop his pants low enough to release his cock and balls. A second later, he was impaled in the tight depths of her cunt, gripping her hips with tense hands as he began moving in a hard rhythm that brought her to an explosive climax in mere moments.

But he wasn’t done with her yet.

As she went limp, he caught her in his arms and lifted her onto the bed, positioning her on her back with her arms and legs spread wide. Tigh looked around, improvising by using the ties that held back the bed curtains to tie her to the four corners of the bed, spread eagled for his pleasure.

She didn’t object, letting him do what he liked without any protest. In fact, he saw only the glimmer of interest and returning passion in her beloved eyes as he finished securing the last knot.

He rid himself of his own clothes then lay at her side, running one hand over her curves, as if memorizing each and every dimple and rise. He lingered on her sensitive breasts for a long time before settling between her legs. He’d left plenty of give in the ties around her ankles so he could bend her knees and position her the way he wanted.

“I will have the imperial craftsmen make me a plug for this pretty ass of yours, slave girl. What do you think of that?”

She sucked in a breath before answering. “Whatever you desire, my liege.”

“Ah.” He smiled up at her as he fingered her slit. “That was the right answer. You have earned another reward.”

He leaned closer still, inhaling the sweet perfume of her excitement. He had to taste her! Using his tongue, he traced a path around her nubbin and down to her opening, sweeping inside for a few pulsating licks before pulling out and sweeping up to her clit once more. He repeated the process several times before she came with a keening cry that he felt in his very bones.

He wanted to claim her like nothing else in the world, but he also wanted this moment—this breakthrough in their relationship to last as long as he could possibly make it last. His time was drawing near though. He couldn’t hold out much longer without exploding.

“Now, slave girl. What was that you were saying about never having been mastered? I believe you have revised your opinion, haven’t you?”

She didn’t answer fast enough, which gave him an excuse to slap her tender pussy. She squirmed at the sting, but her cunt wept fresh juice for him, betraying how much she liked it.

“Who is your master, girl? I won’t ask again.” While he spoke, he poked two fingers into her, stroking in and out as she began to thrash in excitement on the wide bed.

“You are.” Her words were a mere whisper.

“What was that? I must have it louder, girl.”

“You are.” The breathy sound was better, but still not loud enough to suit him. He removed his fingers and slapped her eager pussy.

“You are!” She screamed as he levered himself over her and pushed deep inside, sliding home within her as her excitement level went higher still.

“And who am I?” He panted as he pounded into her, his balls slapping her ass on every stroke.

“My master,” she sobbed as she neared her peak. He moved higher and faster as he felt her inner muscles clench. She came on a screaming sob. “Tigh!”

He answered her passion with his own, bathing her core with his seed as they came together in bliss. He’d never felt so close to another human being—not even to Ginny. Something had been riding them both, pushing them toward this culmination, and he couldn’t say he regretted any of it. He’d needed her submission, though he hadn’t quite recognized that need fully in himself. He’d thought the Zenain training would help him be more tolerant of her human independence than most other jit’suku men would have been, but when it came right down to it, he was just as primitive as his brethren jit’suku. Thank the Goddess, his woman was understanding and adventurous.

Tigh rose up on his elbows, gazing down at the woman he loved beyond all others still beneath him. “Are you all right?”

“Mmm,” she answered with a broad smile. “Never better.” She wiggled her hips, drawing aftershocks where they were still joined. “Master.” Her gaze teased him, her words played with him, but her heart was his alone. He knew that beyond any doubt whatsoever. His strong mate would submit only to him.

Tigh kissed her, thanking her without words for her understanding. “I love you, Gineva Magdalena Starbridge.”

*

Dinner that night was a grand celebration, and if the emperor and empress-to-be were a little late to the start of the feast, that was to be expected. The jit’suku males of all castes of their society waited patiently for their new emperor, though they shared more than a few knowing looks and ribald jokes between them as they waited.

The human women were given places of honor. Tonight, they would be formally introduced to the emperor’s advisors and the rest of the imperial court. There was a large contingent of Zenai warrior priests present, as well—more than had been seen at an imperial feast than at any time in recent memory. The high priest himself sat at the head table, overseeing all in his wise, silent way.