Planet Mail by Kate Pearce Read Free Book Online Page A

shoulder. “My lady, go to sleep. The king will expect you at dinner tonight and you must be ready for him.”
    * * * * *
    Douglass sat at the king’s right in the Great Hall. Despite her protests, she’d only been allowed to drape a skimpy piece of cloth across her hips. The rest of her remained bare to the gaze of the hundred men who ate with them. The concentration of stares on her breasts felt almost physical, especially as Marcus continually caressed her breasts and nipples making them taut and tight.
    As the only woman there, she should’ve felt vulnerable but she found the men respectful and almost worshipful. She felt like a goddess. Beneath the scrap of silk, her sex grew warm and wanting as Marcus stroked her skin and fed her morsels from his plate.
    “The men would probably like me to display you to them again.”
    Douglass almost choked. “What do you mean?”
    He gave her a sidelong glance that shouted sex. “I think you know. Sit you on my knees and open your legs wide so that they can see your pussy. Work my fingers deep inside you until you come and then thrust my cock into you.”
    Douglass suppressed an urge to cross her legs. “Surely if you are the king, you can decide how much of me you want them to see?”
    He slid his hand up the inside of her leg, stopped at the edge of the damp silk. “I like them to see you wet and ready for sex. I don’t want them to see your face when I fuck you and you come for me. That’s between us.”
    “Thank goodness for that,” Douglass muttered. Thinking to change the subject she asked, “How long have your people populated this planet?”
    “If you believe the tales of our bards, for many hundreds of years.” Marcus signaled to a harp player to move closer. “Our legends tell of men who conquered both Earth and space.”
    Douglass listened to the unfamiliar language of the harpist’s song. Even her translator couldn’t decipher it. She was glad Marcus’ people had reverted to the common interplanetary language of English. “There was an ancient race on Earth called the Vikings who were legendary seafarers and discoverers of new lands. Your language and culture reminds me of them.”
    Marcus nodded his head. “Aye, I have heard that from other travelers.” He raised his cup to her. “Perhaps there is some truth in it.” He paused to feed her some bread. “Your name sounds like that of a man.”
    “Douglass?” She smiled. “It can be used for either sex. Although you are right, it’s more usually a guy’s name. I’m called after an ancestor of mine who traveled from Scotland to America in the nineteenth century.”
    “I’ve read of those times. Traveling across continents was once as perilous as traveling through space. Your ancestor must have been a brave and courageous woman.”
    She checked his expression and could see no hint of amusement. “She was a brave lady. She married and had ten children.” His smile disappeared. Too late she remembered his childless state. “But that wasn’t unusual in those days…”
    “Douglass, there is no need to explain yourself.” He brought her hand to his lips. “I’m not so desperate for a child that I can’t bear to have them spoken about.”
    He released her fingers and got to his feet.
    “Would you like to take a walk with me around the palace? I can explain the areas which are safe for you to visit.”
    Douglass reclaimed his hand. “I was beginning to worry that you intended to keep me in my bedroom for the rest of my time here.”
    “Don’t give me ideas, consort.”
    Marcus patted her arm as they progressed down the hall. When they exited, high sandstone walls rose on either side of them, shutting out what remained of the natural light. The floor was covered with blue and red mosaic tiles. Shaded oil lamps threw out muted pink shadows as they passed.
    “You will need to keep within the palace precincts,” Marcus said. “A fertile woman is considered a great prize and there are men