Pet's Pleasure (11 page)

“Know they will work when you need them, and they won’t when you don’t. You won’t be awakened by chiming bells, so sleep easy.”

“Fine. Next question. Where do I sleep?”

Bekion gestured to the couch. “I’d planned to have you use my couch. I’ve commissioned a bed for your use but it won’t be done until tomorrow night.”

“What type of bed did you ask for? I’m not that big, you know.”

“A bed fit for the pet of a king.”

The way he smiled gave her a sense of foreboding. If the bed showed up decked out in pink and ruffles, she might have to hurt him.

He said, “You don’t mind using the couch. The other option is my bed.”

“I love couches,” she said quickly.

She had no intention of sleeping with Bekion. That might give the man ideas along the lines of those Furielle had mentioned the day before.

Starling patted the cushions. It hadn’t been uncomfortable. She didn’t mind making it her permanent bed. Without suggesting it, she knew Bekion’s answer—a resounding no.

Besides, a few more pieces of furniture would make the room look as though someone lived there. The inner chamber only had Bekion’s bed, the couch, a nightstand and a single, seven-shelf bookshelf stuffed with books. The outer chamber housed his personal dining table and chairs, a desk, cabinets with unknown contents, a few plants and a wing chair that resembled his throne.

She planned to add more life-giving aspects to the bedroom, like a plant or a painting or something. She needed this place to feel like home.

Sleep claimed her while she thought of all the things she could do to make Bekion’s room feel more lived in.

She woke later with a scared gasp. For the second time, a nightmare she couldn’t remember woke her from a sound sleep. She looked toward the bed. The lump that was Bekion beneath the blankets didn’t move.

She sighed.

She needed time to get used to her new life and hoped the nightmares would go away soon. Actually, she wanted to remember them and then maybe she could get over it and forget.

Nothing came to mind.

Casting a quick glance at Bekion, she got off the couch and headed for the outer chamber. Her nightmares made sleep an exercise in futility. Not that she was tired in the first place. She’d only gone to sleep because Bekion had.

She no longer had a set sleep schedule. There was nothing she had to wake up on time for or go to bed early for. And a pet slept when it felt like it.

Starling eased the bedroom door open—mostly because it was too heavy for her to open normally—and left. She pulled the door closed then faced the outer chamber. She could probably wander the halls for a little bit to tire herself out.

She looked down at her arm cuffs. They were inactive. She shouldn’t leave the safety of Bekion’s rooms without some way of calling for help if she needed it.

“Not tired?” Bekion whispered behind her.

Starling startled then whirled and faced Bekion. She hadn’t heard him open the door. He gave her a sleepy smile.

She whispered, “Why are you awake?”

“I’m a light sleeper.” He raised his gaze to the outer chamber door as though expecting someone to enter. “I’m not sure how to entertain a pet.”

“I don’t need entertainment. I’m not sleepy.”

Bekion placed his hand on her shoulder and gave her a sympathetic look. “You had another nightmare, didn’t you?”

She sighed and let her gaze fall to the floor.

They stood like that—Starling with her head bowed and Bekion with his hand on her shoulder—in silence. She greatly needed that small measure of comfort.

“You should go back to bed, Bekion. I’m fine.”

His hand left her shoulder and she felt an instant loss. Why should a man she just met be such a comfort to her? Maybe it wasn’t him but the act itself.

“Let’s go back.” Bekion stepped out of the doorway so she could pass him.

“I’m going to sit in the outer chamber so I don’t bother you.”

“Not obeying bothers me.”

She entered the room and went back to the couch. “I’m sorry I woke you.”

Bekion closed the door. “You didn’t. Your adornments reactivating did.” He went to his bedside table and picked up one of his cuffs. After punching a few keys, he reached out to her. “Your arm.”

She went to him and put her hand in his. He touched his cuff to hers. There was a soft beep.

With a sigh, he released her and tossed the cuff aside.

“But I thought you already deactivated it.”

Lying on the bed, he said, “I did. It would have remained that way except you opened the inner chamber door.”

“Sorry. You should have told me.”

Bekion wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her onto the bed. He situated her with her back pressed against his stomach and her head tucked under his chin. “We’ll talk about this later.”

“We better.”

She heaved a sigh and decided to relax. Bored in bed or bored in the outer chamber was still bored. But bored in bed meant she wasn’t alone. She closed her eyes. Sleep would come eventually.

Her eyes snapped open again when she felt Bekion’s hand roaming over her breasts. He cupped one, gave it a squeeze and then held it. She pulled at his wrist but he didn’t release her. She turned as much as she could with him holding her to tell him off. He was sleeping.

Her anger at his actions waned. Bekion probably slept with women he could grope. So long as he didn’t get any friskier, there was no point getting pissed about it. She settled down again.

The groping aside, Bekion hadn’t turned evil. But they’d only known each other for days. Time would tell if his good-guy routine was an act or real.

Despite not being tired, she slept thanks to Bekion’s warmth. No nightmares plagued her while wrapped in his arms.

The sound of someone knocking startled Starling awake. She blinked, a little disoriented.

Bekion sighed softly then called, “Yes?”

A maid said, “Breakfast is ready, Your Majesty.”

He released Starling and rolled to a sitting position. “Come.”

The maid opened the door. She had her head bowed and stared at the floor as she said, “Good morning, Your Majesty. I hope you slept well.”

“Very.” Bekion glanced back at Starling and gave her a soft smile. “It seems owning a pet agrees with me.” He left the bed and headed for the bathroom.

Starling didn’t know what to make of his comment and decided not to give it further thought as she headed for the outer chamber. Fifteen people milled around doing one thing or another. She stared in amazement at the many people who must have been there for a while but hadn’t made enough noise to wake either her or Bekion.

Impressive.

All the servants stopped their movements and bowed in Starling’s direction. She looked over her shoulder, expecting to see Bekion standing behind her. He wasn’t there.

The people said in a chorus, “Good morning, Lady Starling.”

“Morning,” she said with a half-wave.

The people resumed their work.

Furielle entered the room, followed by several women carrying boxes. She said, “Your wardrobe is ready, Lady Starling. Including the items you requested.”

“Wow. That was fast. I didn’t think it would be done so soon.”

“You insult our staff by implying they could not meet your expectations.”

Starling waved her hands quickly. “That’s not what I meant. I didn’t think they would rush since I’m a pet.”

“You are the pet of King Bekion. As such, everything you request is to be treated as though King Bekion himself requested it. Thus the articles you ordered were given the highest priority.” Furielle set out the boxes. “The shoemaker found the design and your specifications very interesting. He said he would like to market the design to other customers.” The woman looked over Starling’s head then curtsied. “With Your Majesty’s permission, of course.”

Starling looked over her shoulder again. This time Bekion stood there. That was the second time he’d sneaked up on her. The man moved too quietly for someone his size.

The servants all stopped, bowed and greeted Bekion in unison. They resumed their work when Bekion nodded.

He placed a hand on Starling’s shoulder. “What is this about marketing a new design?”

Starling said, “It’s probably the shoes I ordered.” She went to the boxes and looked through each one until she found what she wanted. She held up the sneakers for Bekion to see. “These are athletic shoes called sneakers. They cushion and support for prolonged, strenuous activity.”

Bekion took one of the shoes from her and examined it. “What do you plan to do with this?”

“Exercise. Running and the like.”

“Exercise? You are tiny and barely weigh enough as it is. What need have you for such activity?”

“Do the nanites keep me from getting fat if I continue with my current sedentary lifestyle?”

“No.”

“Then I need to exercise. You may think I’m light but that’s because you and the other
jattikans
are naturally bigger than me. Besides, exercise is essential to keeping a pet healthy.” She dug out the exercise clothes she’d ordered. While Bekion was doing his morning meeting, she planned to do some running. “You don’t have to worry, Nausic is taking me out.”

Bekion looked at Nausic, who was dressed in his training uniform and standing next to the other guards. “When did you two decide this?”

Starling said, “After lunch while you were busy. I told Rois and he told Nausic.” Belatedly, she wondered if she should have mentioned having to ask Rois since Nausic had made a point of ignoring her.

“And where are you taking my pet, Nausic?”

From the emphasis Bekion put on Nausic’s name, Starling decided to stop answering for the man and concerned herself with changing her clothes. Furielle and two others helped her. Rather than argue about it, she let them.

“To the throne room.” Nausic glanced at Starling when she cleared her throat then added, “The long way. Lady Starling wishes to run a varied course so as to work multiple muscles of her lower body but stay to a somewhat familiar locale.”

She said, “I only know your rooms and the throne room.” She did a few in-place stretches, testing the feel of her new clothes. “So we’ll stick to that route to be safe. I’m running to the throne room and then back. Afterward, I’ll take a shower, gather my stuff and return to the throne room when I’m done.” She met his gaze. “Or will you be in your audience chamber again?”

“You didn’t tell me this before now. Why?”

“It didn’t come up in conversation. I figured you wouldn’t mind either. You’re going to the throne room regardless of what I do. With one of your best guards at my side, it’s all good.”

“He is one of my best.” His agreement was hesitant even though he gave it.

“Then there was no need to worry.” She looked up at Nausic, who stared at Bekion in wide-eyed surprise. She tapped his leg. When he looked at her, she smiled up at him. “Right?”

Nausic nodded sharply then snapped to attention. “Yes. There is no need for worry. Lady Starling will be safe with me.”

Bekion seemed annoyed but Starling gave him points for not turning the whole thing into an argument.

He said, “In the future, you will pose your requests to me, not Rois.”

“I didn’t want to bother you but I’ll keep that in mind. Breakfast?” She jerked her thumb toward the table. The more she smelled the food, the hungrier she got.

He nodded and ushered her to the table with his hand on her shoulder. He scooped her onto her seat and then sat on his own.

After a few bites of food, Starling brought up the topic they had started the night before. “What’s the failsafe?”

Bekion held up his arm, showcasing his arm cuff. “My cuff functions in much the same way as yours, except I can remove mine. When deactivated, the cuffs do a quick perimeter and interior scan. If a door is opened when it was shut or a person leaves, then they reactivate automatically. This allows the users to sound their personal alarm if the change in surroundings is a threat.”

“Okay. That makes sense.”

“When you opened the door, my cuff beeped in a similar manner to the way it beeps when I deactivated yours for the night. I have learned to wake when it makes that sound, as my life may be in danger.”

“Has it ever been before?”

“Twice, but that is a topic for another time. I tell you all this so you will not venture out again.”

“Why not include the outer chamber?”

“Neither of us would get any sleep then. They are quiet but many servants enter and leave the outer chamber at various times at night. None disturb the inner chamber unless they need me for something important.”

“Okay. I’ll stay put if I happen to wake up in the night. Can I work on my tablet or would the noise wake you? Transcription-mode only, of course.”

“So long as you do not leave the inner chamber, you can do as you please.”

Yup, they were getting along better. She glanced over at Nausic, who hadn’t come out of attention to speak to the other guards. She hoped she could start to get along with everyone, Nausic especially since he was her guard. Maybe their morning run would help.