Taking Karre

An Excerpt From: ARIELLA’S KEEPER

Ariella held her expression. She had no idea what she was walking into. Her feet dragged as she forced herself to follow him. The doors to his office slid open without him touching them. Inside, the room was cast in shadows. One of Supreme Walter’s friends, Dr. Grace, waited in front of his desk holding an electronic reader. Next to him was a man she didn’t recognize. The stranger’s back was to her, but he was dressed in loose black pants and a long gray shirt to match hers.

“What is this?” Ariella whispered. At her words, the man in gray turned. She squinted, unable to see his face in the shadows. She studied his silhouette, seeing the stiff way he carried himself. Broad shoulders led to a trim waist. Firelight danced on black hair cut a little long for Asclepius’ style. It curled slightly at his ears. She narrowed her eyes, stepping closer, trying to see his face.

“Sans Ariella,” Dr. Grace said. He was a short man whose body was withered with age and yet he moved with ease.

“Doctor?” Ariella continued forward, remembering the Supreme’s order to smile. If the expression looked strained, none of the men let on or perhaps they didn’t care.

“Please offer your hand to Dr. Walter as a sign of your intent to join with him,” Grace said.

Ariella inhaled sharply. She looked at the Medical Supreme. The man eyed her coolly, expectantly.

Grace continued, “Dr. Sebastjan Walter. Take Sans Ariella’s hand as a sign of your acceptance of her intention before the witness of myself and your father.”

Sebastjan? Supreme Walter motioned Ariella to obey. She turned to the stranger, to Sebastjan, to her keeper’s son. Her hand shook as she lifted it, confused. Intention? The man hesitated briefly before lifting his hand to clasp hers. He held hers firmly in his large, warm palm and seemed so steady against her uncertainty.

“Do they have your blessing, Medical Supreme?” Grace leaned to look around the hand-holding couple.

“They do,” Supreme Walter said.

“Congratulations, Dr. and Sans Sebastjan Walter.” Grace held up his reader and pressed a button. Light flashed as he took the new couple’s picture. Sebastjan’s face lit for the briefest second. It was enough for her to see the fullness of his lips and the hard set of his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” Ariella said. “Did he call me…?”

“Wife,” Sebastjan said. His voice was low and dispassionate. His hand tightened on hers. That one word caused chills to work over her body.

“Wife?” she repeated.

“Congratulations,” Supreme Walter said. “Go on upstairs. Sebastjan, your room is ready. I expect you both down tomorrow morning to confirm the union and to receive your guests.” To Dr. Grace, he added, “Once you have finished your report to the statistical office, why don’t you join me for a drink?”

“I’m sending them the photographic evidence and confirmation now,” Grace answered, tapping on his reader as he followed behind the Medical Supreme. “All I need is your signature and it’s done.”

The candle lights flickered as the scraping sounded once more. Light was slowly let in from outside as the thick shutters lifted. It had gotten darker out during her wedding. Wedding. The word reverberated in her head as if whispered from far away. Ariella didn’t move as she watched the light shine on her husband’s face. Husband. Out of all the ways she expected this day to end, married to the Supreme’s son wasn’t one of them.

“What does this mean now?” she wondered, only realizing the words were said out loud afterward.

Blue eyes met hers, their depths stormy and discontented. He searched her face, not smiling as he did so. Was he displeased with her? With the marriage? Then why did he agree? Is that why Supreme Walter turned down the lights so his son wouldn’t see? Or so his son wouldn’t try to jump out of the window? He didn’t let go of her, even when she lightly tugged her hand.

He was handsome, even by a medical plane’s standards where everyone had surgical help if they so needed. Full lips and a proud nose and those tormented eyes. He blinked and his expression blanked. “Come on then.”

He finally let go of her and she flexed her aching hand, realizing how tightly he’d been holding onto her. Sebastjan didn’t look at her as he walked from the room. A moment’s relief flooded her as she realized she’d been wrong. She wasn’t going to have to give herself to Supreme Walter. The relief was short-lived. She might not have to give herself to her keeper, but it appeared as if she would be expected to give herself to his son.

Sebastjan flexed his hand, not bothering to turn and look at the woman behind him. He knew she would follow. She had agreed to marry him, hadn’t she? Him, a stranger to her. Undoubtedly the lure of his position in Chiron society was enough for her. She, the rich doctor’s wife.

It didn’t matter now. He had his agreement. One wife in exchange for freedom in all other matters. It was a small price to pay. She was pretty and her body would satisfy his lusts as well as any other. And if it didn’t, he’d keep a mistress as a lover and this woman in some home as a wife. Perhaps he’d get his father to buy the mansion next door. Let Ariella and Walter enjoy each other’s society while he continued on as he pleased without their interference.

Despite himself, he felt his body stir as he took the stairs to his room. How long had it been? Weeks? No, more than a month since he’d been with a woman. Dr. Candra Sunn when he visited her arctic facility to arrange an ice mineral transport six weeks ago. She’d been more than eager to have an out-of-facility man in her bed. Merely hours after meeting her, she’d been on her knees with his cock in her mouth. By her skill, it was a service she provided men often. No wonder so many of the male underlings at the arctic facility walked around with smiles on their face.

Sebastjan coughed lightly at the erotic notion as he pictured this woman doing the same. Well, not the whole male population of an arctic facility, but definitely him. Actually, he found the idea of her serving him drinks more probable than her serving his carnal appetites. It didn’t matter. Even if the sex was bad, it would happen.

Keeping his head held high and his shoulders back, he turned as he reached the top of the stairs, going down the long hallway that would lead him to his old rooms. Medical screens switched on as he passed, automatically monitoring the beat of his heart. He felt lasers trying to scan him, but he kept walking.

“What now?” Ariella asked. Her soft voice sounded so uncertain. He supposed he could speak to her, placate her somehow, but out of the two of them she was the willing spouse.

“I think you know. We finish what was started.” He opened his bedroom door and stepped aside, letting her enter first. She moved inside, standing close to the wall. Sebastjan closed the door and automatically punched the keys on the panel next to it. The lights dimmed and the fireplace lit. Shades slid into place to block the evening light. He reached for the button on his shoulder, unfastening it.

Sebastjan pulled his long shirt over his head. Her breathing became labored and he glanced at her. She hadn’t moved. He stopped short of unbuttoning his pants. “There is no reason to be nervous.”

“Are we really…?” She glanced around the room, swayed but didn’t move.

Sebastjan again reached for his waistband, but something in her face made him hesitate. Instead he sat down on the bed. At first the mattress was stiff but soon it began to mold around his ass, conforming to his body. Unbuttoning his boots, he kicked them aside. “We both understand what this match is. You know what reasons you have and I get what I need.”

This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author’s imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living persons or events is merely coincidence.