"Hundreds?" Tamerlane whispered. "Hundreds? Father, Harper has 24 children
from 31 wives and that took him 10 years."
"I started late," said Harper in his own defense. "And I'm only human. I don't produce the quantity and quality of genetic material that a Nietzschean male does. But I make up for it in the delivery. Ask my wives."
"Are there no other options?" Tamerlane gripped his father's forearms tightly. "Please, Father, there must be other options."
"Son, we plan to explore all your options, before making the announcement. There are skills to acquire, people to meet, philosophy to read." Try released his grip, so Tamerlane released his, their arms falling to their sides.
"Seamus, you have been a true friend, may I call on you once more to protect the House of Anasazi?"
"Tyr, why should I stop risking my ass for you now?" Behind the mask of wit and braggadocio, Tamerlane glimpsed the man. Tears pooled in Harper's eyes.
"Without divulging his status to your wives, children and retainers, please take Tamerlane home with you." Tyr pushed his son toward the courtesy uncle. "Have your ladies tell him about life in a household like yours. He has lived too long in a bachelor's quarters. Tell them that you are preparing him for his role as husband as a courtesy to me."
Harper nodded.
"Son, listen with an open heart." Tyr squeezed the lad's shoulder. "If you choose to reject this option for your life, you must do so from knowledge, not fear. Every choice that you make will be questioned. The knowledge you gather today may be vital to your survival tomorrow."
The men began to move toward the doorway, when Beka spoke, "Tamerlane, would you sit by me a moment? Tyr, take Harper to communications so that an announcement of our pregnancy can be released. Tamerlane will meet you there in a few minutes."
Harper shrugged. Tyr nodded in agreement. Tamerlane turned around to walk to the bed. When Beka was sure that they were alone, she clasped his hands in hers.
"I never knew your birth mother, but I think I can speak for her, because I love you as a mother loves a son." Beka searched his eyes for some evidence that he believed her.
"What do my mothers want me to hear?" He squeezed the hands that held his.
"We are proud of the man you have become." She sighed. "But we are afraid of the future and the burden you will carry. Your father and I have had the support of some amazing people while we waited for you to grow up. You will not be alone through this, Tamerlane. Ask questions of us? Challenge our presumptions? Vent your frustrations. We won't reject you. This is my pledge to you, on behalf of Freya. Remember that she gave her life so that you would live."
Tamerlane kissed her on the forehead in response. She watched as he strode out past the guards. They saluted as if they knew something momentous had occurred on their watch.
More conversation outside the bedroom door awoke Beka from a nap. She remained still, watching through her eyelashes. Both doors swung open to reveal the arrival of a new guard detail. Once the doors were open, the old guard snapped to attention as Tyr passed. He had been escorted to the room by the fresh detail. "Carry on," he ordered as he passed.
He paused when he noticed that Beka was resting. She watched as he changed from the charismatic warrior Alpha to an attentive lover. Gently closing the doors, sliding the old fashioned bolt in place to keep everyone out, including Harper. Carefully he removed his outer garments, gently depositing them on a chair seat. He unbuckled his holsters, quietly hanging them on a hook by the door. He untied the leather thong that held his hair back. The locs fell loosely about his face and shoulders.
"Do I excite you, woman?" His hands halted at the waistband of his trousers. "Do you hunger for something only I can provide?" One button slipped out of its restraint. "Perhaps you want to run your hands over my chest?" He dropped his shirt on the floor. "Would you like to wrap your legs around my waist?" His boots came off. "We could do battle, tongue to tongue? Would that excite you?" Another trouser button slipped its restraint. "Your hands in my hair, while I tug at your breast, do you want that?" The final button came undone. Friction was all that held his trousers in place. "I can hear your racing heart, Beka." He pushed the trousers lower on his hip. "The scent of your arousal is intoxicating." His groin was barely covered. "I want to taste your honeyed waters, Beka." The trousers fell around his ankles. "Look at me, woman." He stepped out of the garment pooled on the floor. "Look at me."
With her heart in her throat, blood rushing through her veins and her womb tight with desire, she opened one eye. He waited, in full display, for her command. She opened the other eye. His were smoldering. She pushed aside the sheets to let cooling air touch her fevered skin. He was trembling, control slipping away as his eyes travelled from her toes to her head.
"We've made a baby, Tyr. You are under no obligation to continue the charade." Fear that he would take the opening the she had given him gripped Beka.
"Beka, last night we joined to protect our son and satisfy your desire to experience motherhood. Now I want us to join out of desire for each other. For ten years I ached to touch you as a man touches his woman. For ten years, I saved myself for you, Beka. Let me show you what we missed."
Tyr did not move. His manhood strained forward as if seeking its home. His muscles clenched in his arms. His legs wound tight as if to pounce, but he held his ground.
"Not once in ten years?" Beka was stupefied. "You saved yourself for me?" Tears flowed from her eyes. A lump formed in her throat. "We have a lot of catching up to do." She spread her arms wide with welcome.
"Are you sure we didn't hurt the baby?" Tyr rumbled contentedly.
"It's rather too late to worry about that now, Tyr." She raised herself on one elbow. "Trance said it would be all right, when she gave me the lecture."
"She also said that once the pregnancy was confirmed that you could bathe." Tyr rolled out of bed. "Stay there while I draw your bath, my lady."
She watched his backside with pleasure as he strutted to the en suite, puffed with self-satisfaction at his ability to satisfy her. She grinned. She had to hand it to the man. A ten-year hiatus didn't seen to hamper his style one bit.
"How much did Tamerlane win?" Her question brought Tyr to a complete halt.
"A thousand thrones." Tyr stepped into the bathroom, calling over his shoulders, "At 10:1."
"Damn, the boy had faith." Said Beka to no one in particular. "He would have won if the odds had been 100:1. That man of mine is irresistible, when he is in the mating mood."
"I started late," said Harper in his own defense. "And I'm only human. I don't produce the quantity and quality of genetic material that a Nietzschean male does. But I make up for it in the delivery. Ask my wives."
"Are there no other options?" Tamerlane gripped his father's forearms tightly. "Please, Father, there must be other options."
"Son, we plan to explore all your options, before making the announcement. There are skills to acquire, people to meet, philosophy to read." Try released his grip, so Tamerlane released his, their arms falling to their sides.
"Seamus, you have been a true friend, may I call on you once more to protect the House of Anasazi?"
"Tyr, why should I stop risking my ass for you now?" Behind the mask of wit and braggadocio, Tamerlane glimpsed the man. Tears pooled in Harper's eyes.
"Without divulging his status to your wives, children and retainers, please take Tamerlane home with you." Tyr pushed his son toward the courtesy uncle. "Have your ladies tell him about life in a household like yours. He has lived too long in a bachelor's quarters. Tell them that you are preparing him for his role as husband as a courtesy to me."
Harper nodded.
"Son, listen with an open heart." Tyr squeezed the lad's shoulder. "If you choose to reject this option for your life, you must do so from knowledge, not fear. Every choice that you make will be questioned. The knowledge you gather today may be vital to your survival tomorrow."
The men began to move toward the doorway, when Beka spoke, "Tamerlane, would you sit by me a moment? Tyr, take Harper to communications so that an announcement of our pregnancy can be released. Tamerlane will meet you there in a few minutes."
Harper shrugged. Tyr nodded in agreement. Tamerlane turned around to walk to the bed. When Beka was sure that they were alone, she clasped his hands in hers.
"I never knew your birth mother, but I think I can speak for her, because I love you as a mother loves a son." Beka searched his eyes for some evidence that he believed her.
"What do my mothers want me to hear?" He squeezed the hands that held his.
"We are proud of the man you have become." She sighed. "But we are afraid of the future and the burden you will carry. Your father and I have had the support of some amazing people while we waited for you to grow up. You will not be alone through this, Tamerlane. Ask questions of us? Challenge our presumptions? Vent your frustrations. We won't reject you. This is my pledge to you, on behalf of Freya. Remember that she gave her life so that you would live."
Tamerlane kissed her on the forehead in response. She watched as he strode out past the guards. They saluted as if they knew something momentous had occurred on their watch.
More conversation outside the bedroom door awoke Beka from a nap. She remained still, watching through her eyelashes. Both doors swung open to reveal the arrival of a new guard detail. Once the doors were open, the old guard snapped to attention as Tyr passed. He had been escorted to the room by the fresh detail. "Carry on," he ordered as he passed.
He paused when he noticed that Beka was resting. She watched as he changed from the charismatic warrior Alpha to an attentive lover. Gently closing the doors, sliding the old fashioned bolt in place to keep everyone out, including Harper. Carefully he removed his outer garments, gently depositing them on a chair seat. He unbuckled his holsters, quietly hanging them on a hook by the door. He untied the leather thong that held his hair back. The locs fell loosely about his face and shoulders.
"Do I excite you, woman?" His hands halted at the waistband of his trousers. "Do you hunger for something only I can provide?" One button slipped out of its restraint. "Perhaps you want to run your hands over my chest?" He dropped his shirt on the floor. "Would you like to wrap your legs around my waist?" His boots came off. "We could do battle, tongue to tongue? Would that excite you?" Another trouser button slipped its restraint. "Your hands in my hair, while I tug at your breast, do you want that?" The final button came undone. Friction was all that held his trousers in place. "I can hear your racing heart, Beka." He pushed the trousers lower on his hip. "The scent of your arousal is intoxicating." His groin was barely covered. "I want to taste your honeyed waters, Beka." The trousers fell around his ankles. "Look at me, woman." He stepped out of the garment pooled on the floor. "Look at me."
With her heart in her throat, blood rushing through her veins and her womb tight with desire, she opened one eye. He waited, in full display, for her command. She opened the other eye. His were smoldering. She pushed aside the sheets to let cooling air touch her fevered skin. He was trembling, control slipping away as his eyes travelled from her toes to her head.
"We've made a baby, Tyr. You are under no obligation to continue the charade." Fear that he would take the opening the she had given him gripped Beka.
"Beka, last night we joined to protect our son and satisfy your desire to experience motherhood. Now I want us to join out of desire for each other. For ten years I ached to touch you as a man touches his woman. For ten years, I saved myself for you, Beka. Let me show you what we missed."
Tyr did not move. His manhood strained forward as if seeking its home. His muscles clenched in his arms. His legs wound tight as if to pounce, but he held his ground.
"Not once in ten years?" Beka was stupefied. "You saved yourself for me?" Tears flowed from her eyes. A lump formed in her throat. "We have a lot of catching up to do." She spread her arms wide with welcome.
"Are you sure we didn't hurt the baby?" Tyr rumbled contentedly.
"It's rather too late to worry about that now, Tyr." She raised herself on one elbow. "Trance said it would be all right, when she gave me the lecture."
"She also said that once the pregnancy was confirmed that you could bathe." Tyr rolled out of bed. "Stay there while I draw your bath, my lady."
She watched his backside with pleasure as he strutted to the en suite, puffed with self-satisfaction at his ability to satisfy her. She grinned. She had to hand it to the man. A ten-year hiatus didn't seen to hamper his style one bit.
"How much did Tamerlane win?" Her question brought Tyr to a complete halt.
"A thousand thrones." Tyr stepped into the bathroom, calling over his shoulders, "At 10:1."
"Damn, the boy had faith." Said Beka to no one in particular. "He would have won if the odds had been 100:1. That man of mine is irresistible, when he is in the mating mood."