Chapter Ten

Rastrath stared up at the endless blue sky. His first instinct was to laugh it off, but in the end, he went with the truth. “I wasn’t wanted here when he was alive. Why should I stay here now?”

“You’re going to say I was gossiping again, but Dr. Mako said that your father did want you. He said that the previous Emperor denied his petition.”

“What?” He sat up so quickly she started to slip from his arms. With a muttered apology, he brought her up with him. “Why didn’t he tell me?”

“He seemed to think that you knew. But you didn’t, did you?” Soft dark eyes studied his face.

“No.”

Unable to keep still, he made sure she was steady and climbed to his feet to pace back and forth across the stone. His father had actually wanted him? The cynical part of him insisted that he hadn’t made much of an effort, but he was only too familiar with how possessive the Royal House was about what they considered royal blood. They may have despised him, but he was still one of theirs. Emperor Balamajin might very well have refused to allow an outsider access to a royal heir.

“Does it matter that much?” Deb asked. Curled into the cushions, she watched him pace with a worried look.

He thought of all the times he’d been ostracized, taunted. How many times he’d wished that his father would come for him. “It matters.”

“Do you think he’ll feel the same way?” She studied her stomach now, arm cupped protectively over the firm mound. “I pray to God that he’ll never meet his father, but I don’t want him to feel that he is less because of it.”

With a sigh, he sat next to her, putting his arm over hers. “If my mother had cared one tenth as much for me as you do for your child, I suspect it wouldn’t have mattered anywhere near as much.”

“What do you mean?”

Too raw to go into further details, he changed the subject. “You said he. Does he feel like a boy today?”

“I forgot to tell you. Dr. Mako says the scan shows that he’s definitely a boy. Oh.” Her eyes widened. “I think he knows we’re talking about him. He’s moving. Feel.”

A hard little bump nudged his hand and he gave a startled laugh. A second bump followed the first and he looked up to find her watching him, a watery smile on her lips. A sudden and completely unexpected longing swept over him, that this was his child—by this woman. Foolishness. He would never subject a child to the curse of his own mixed heritage. Pushing the urge firmly aside, he rose again, bringing Deb with him. “Come along, sweetheart. Let’s get him fed.”

After their much-delayed breakfast, Marious appeared, his fins flapping nervously. “Forgive me, Your Highness. The trade merchants are here for the Fall Festival. It is traditional to give a banquet in their honor.”

“Then give it,” he said impatiently.

“Yes, Your Highness. Would you prefer the Blue Dining Hall or the Garden Chamber? The Blue Hall has the better view but with the weather becoming more uncertain as the season changes, perhaps the Garden Chamber would be less risky?”

“For God’s sake, I don’t know.”

Marious obviously forced back his exasperation. “Very well, Your Highness. Parliament will have their opening session next week. Will you attend?”

“No.”

Marious’ fins flapped again but he nodded. “Yes, Your Highness. Also, two exporters are here to discuss a contract for our Fru seed. Do you wish to participate in the negotiations?”

For a moment, he was tempted. He enjoyed the negotiations he conducted on behalf of his own trading companies. But then he shook his head. This was not his planet; he had no reason to get involved. “No.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Then there is the question of the laundry staff. The chief laundress has requested—”

“Enough,” he roared.

Deb had been following the conversation and her eyes widened at his outburst, a hint of fear crossing her face. Forcing himself to calm, he turned to Marious. “I have other duties today. Direct all of your questions to my…female.”

Anxious to get away from the pressing weight of expectations he had no intention of fulfilling, he rose to leave but turned back to her. “Dinner tonight. On the balcony again?”

When she blushed and nodded, he couldn’t resist stopping to press a kiss to her sweet pink lips before he strode out of the room.

The day dragged more than he had expected. He finished his list of contact information and sent it off to Athtar and then spent some time on his accounts, but they were doing almost too well and there was little for him to do. The contracts with the exporters would almost certainly be more interesting and he found himself wondering if the Sheraens had any negotiation skills. He didn’t want strangers taking advantage of his…of the people of this planet.

He also found himself missing Deb, and not only because his cock throbbed every time he thought about her. Here he was, the owner of a luscious pleasure slave with the sweetest, tightest cunt he’d ever had the pleasure to enter and instead of taking advantage of her willing body, he’d sent her off to deal with his household. Almost willing, he amended. He’d sent for Dr. Mako and the doctor had told him that he suspected her nausea had been brought about by her conflicted feelings over the pleasure she had received. While he couldn’t help but be gratified by her enjoyment, he didn’t want to add to her turmoil.

During the conversation with the doctor, he’d rather tentatively broached the subject of his father. Dr. Mako confirmed Deb’s story. “He tried to claim you, but the Emperor forbade it. Because he was not legally bound to your mother, he was told that didn’t have a valid claim.”

“I wonder if my mother knew.”

“You think that perhaps she urged the Emperor not to allow him any contact?”

A bitter laugh escaped before he could choke it back. “I believe that if my mother knew, she would have urged him to let my father take me.”

The doctor didn’t respond, merely watching him thoughtfully, and he found himself continuing. “She didn’t want me. Because it’s so rare for species to interbreed, she never even considered that she might be pregnant. Unfortunately for her, my grandfather guessed before she did and made sure that she could not make…alternate arrangements.”

“It is unfortunate. If you had been brought up here, you might have learned to care for your people.” He stood before Rastrath could respond. “And we are your people, no matter how different we may look. I would have thought that your upbringing would have taught you that outer appearances matter little.”

“Actually, they taught me that most people place a great deal of importance on appearance.”

“But you know just how wrong they are.” And with that parting shot, he slipped out of the study.

Several hours later, he found himself pacing the balcony and fighting down the urge to demand that Deb be brought to him immediately. As the sun began to set, he grew increasingly annoyed at both his own eagerness and her lateness. A member of the Royal House was never kept waiting. Yet when she finally rushed out to meet him, her eyes were scared, and he didn’t have the heart to reprimand her.

“I’m sorry, mas…Rast. Time got away from us and it took me a few minutes to change.”

Tonight, she was wearing blue silk, tied beneath her breasts to leave the ripe swell of her stomach bare above a low-cut pair of flowing pants, and his cock went rock hard.

“You are late,” he said stiffly, fighting the instinct to order her to her knees to satisfy his day long frustration. But when she dropped to her knees of her own accord, dark eyes big and tearful, he couldn’t do it.

“Please forgive me,” she whispered, reaching for his cock. It took every ounce of self-control that he possessed to catch her hands and draw her to her feet instead.

“You’re forgiven. But don’t let it happen again.”

“No, master. I mean, Rast. Oh God, I’m sorry, I’m making a mess of everything.” A tear broke through and he sighed and pulled her into his arms, wondering if he was a fool. He gave her a quick hug, trying to ignore just how good she felt pressed up against him, and led her to the table.

“Don’t cry, sweetheart. Did the chief laundress take up the whole day?”

“Oh, no, although meeting her was quite an experience. She was not at all what I expected. It’s the arrangements for the banquet that took so long.” She shot him an uncertain glance and he nodded for her to go on. As she launched into her account, he found himself unexpectedly interested. The merchants were all jockeying for an advantage, and everything from where they were seated to what they were served was a matter of grave concern. It reminded him of Imperial politics but on a smaller and much less cut-throat scale and he actually enjoyed going over the details with her. He made a few suggestions, but on the whole, he was impressed with how she had handled everything.

“You did very well, sweetheart.”

A pleased smile lit up her face. “Thank you. I just pretended I was dealing with my three youngest brothers. They argue over everything.”

He laughed. “I suspect the merchants are very similar to warring siblings.”

“Did you ever want a brother? Or a sister?”

“I have a half-brother,” he admitted.

“Really?”

“After my mother’s…fling with my father, she found herself a proper Kaisarian noble to marry. Unfortunately, she had to settle for one from one of the lower houses so Proctral is much further down the line of succession. He resents it.” That was somewhat of an understatement. Proctral loathed him with a fiery passion hotter than a supernova. Fortunately, he was younger, weaker, and rather remarkably unintelligent so he had to confine his loathing to cutting remarks and ineffective plots.

“That’s a shame. My brothers and sisters drive me crazy sometimes, but I love them. I always wanted a big family of my own.” Her hand went to her stomach. “But a small family is better than none.”

That same pang of longing he had felt by the pool reappeared, but he immediately dismissed it. He’d made his decision many years ago and wasn’t going to change it now.

“Then we must make sure you keep that family healthy,” he said lightly. “Off to bed with you now. An early night will do you good.”

“You don’t want to…have sex?”

Gods, did he want to. His horns pulsed at the thought. But while his body was screaming at him, he felt oddly tired and he didn't think he could take tears or nausea tonight. “No.”

“I see.” She bit her lip, then rose gracefully and bowed her head. “Then I will bid you goodnight, Your Highness.”

At least it wasn’t master he thought bitterly as he watched her depart, ass swaying with a gentle rhythm that did nothing to distract his aching shaft. Cursing himself for a fool, he went to seek out a shower and the limited relief his hand would provide.

He had just entered the shower and taken himself in hand when he heard a soft gasp. He closed his eyes, his fingers still working his cock. “Sweetheart, I’m tired and extremely aroused. I don’t have the willpower to be patient tonight.”

“But…but our bargain.”

“Forget the fucking bargain. You can work off your debt by assisting Marious.” Fuck, he was insane. “I told you I didn’t want an unwilling partner.”

“I’m not unwilling,” she insisted.

“No, you just cry or vomit after we fuck.” The words came out harsher than he had intended but she responded before he could amend them.

“I don’t want to!”

Disappointment filled him, but he tried his best to keep his voice calm. “Exactly. So, let’s just forget the whole damn thing.”

“No, you don’t understand. I don’t want to cry; I just want to be normal.”

“You are normal, Deb.” He sighed. “You’ve been through a very traumatic experience. I just don’t think I’m the right person to help you through it.”

“But you are. You’ve been so sweet—”

“I told you. I don’t feel sweet tonight.”

“Then don’t be. Just fuck me the way you want to—the way we both want you to.”