A Gift for the King Read online

  She felt Dante’s presence behind her, and she turned to him. Her questions burned at her, but she swallowed them and threw herself at him, enveloping him in her arms. Hesitantly, his arms surrounded her, holding her softly against him.

  “You were a good girl today. I will have to reward you for that tonight. I know there were a lot of new things, but I will answer your questions when the time is right. For now, continue to behave as you have been, and you will reap the benefits in due time,” he whispered, his voice light, but deliciously sultry in her ear. Slowly he pulled away and looked at Tala.

  “Tala, it is time. We will be leaving for the southern towns shortly. If you would, please accompany Lana to the carriage and see to it that she makes it safely.”

  Tala almost seemed to nod her head in response to Dante, and moved to Lana’s side, bowing her large body down toward the ground. Dante grabbed Lana by her hips, lifting her without much effort, and helped her to sit atop the giant wolf.

  “Hold onto her fur here. It won’t hurt her. She will get you there safely.”

  Lana sat astride the massive beast, the soft fur tickling her legs. Leaning forward, she gently gripped the fur at her shoulders. She felt the raw power of the animal beneath her, muscles tightening and stretching underneath her. Closing her eyes, Lana rested against her and allowed the animal to take her. Tala slowly walked out of the stables and sauntered back over to the elongated metal carriage. All the while, Lana enjoyed riding such a magnificent animal. When they arrived at the carriage, Tala stood still. Standing before it, she paused and knelt down.

  “Use my fur to climb off,” Tala whispered into her head and Lana complied, the wolf’s soft fur caressing her covered, but still exposed figure. When her feet touched the ground, she rested her head on Tala, knowing that without a doubt she already trusted the animal with her life.

  “Thank you for the honor of letting me ride you, Tala. You are beautiful.”

  Tala bowed her head and stood tall.

  “I will be outside, should you need anything. As you are my master’s pet, you need only to think of me, and I will come. Call for me, and I will protect you with my life.”

  Lana nodded her head and thanked the wolf before climbing up into the open door of the carriage. Turning back as she climbed the ladder, she saw Tala sitting on her haunches, surveying the surrounding area. Smiling softly, Lana entered the carriage.

  Inside, it was even larger than she expected. Two large queen beds, side by side, separated by a small aisle, took much of the space at the back of the carriage. Plush quilts and soft-looking pillows were calling her name. Toward the front where she had entered was a luxurious-looking seating area, with gray leather couches and an assortment of pillows. To her left was a small kitchen area. There was a door at the very back of the carriage, which Lana could only guess was a restroom.

  She moved to her right and sat down on the soft couch. She wondered what Dante had meant when he said he’d reward her, and what he would do to her. Memories of her recent spanking raced through her head, and her body grew warm. Her fingers tentatively touched her breasts, lingering over the hardening points of her nipples. Even lower still, her fingers traveled down her stomach, to her inner thighs, to between her legs. She was swollen as if she were in heat.

  Throughout the day, she had watched all the eyes on her body, traveling from her exposed breasts to the curve of her hips, to the hint of what was between her legs. The red sheer material gathered in such a way around her hips that her charms were still kept a secret from everyone, although she had still felt bare and unprotected for everyone to see. Her bare bottom was visible beneath the fabric; probably still pink from the time she had spent over Dante’s knees. Shivering at the thought, she imagined him forcing her to stand before him again, imagined him taking down her panties and gazing at her sex, before taking her over his knees for another bare bottom spanking.

  Her body grew hotter.

  Finding herself alone and impossibly turned on, she continued her explorations. Parting her lower lips, she found she was slippery and wet with lust. Finding her little button, she pressed down and circled it as her breath escaped her lips. Continuing to imagine Dante dominating her, it wasn’t long before she found herself edging at the tip of an orgasm. The more she thought about spankings from him, the closer she got, until relief finally poured over her and pleasure coursed through her veins. Opening her eyes with a soft sigh, she ran her fingers over her thighs, relishing the wonderful feelings rushing through every inch of her body.

  “Naughty girl.”

  Jumping, her eyes shot to the door of the carriage where Dante stood, leaning up against it. The blood centered in her hips rapidly rushed to her face. Quickly, she tried to cover herself, but her hard nipples gave her away. Her legs trembling, she gazed up at him, wondering what was going through his mind.

  “I don’t remember giving you permission to pleasure yourself, my pet.”

  “Dante, I… I don’t know what to say,” Lana said, her throat going dry, her voice embarrassingly husky. The look on his face was one of pure dominance, like she had broken some unspoken rule and he was about to punish her for it. Her body responded before her mind did. Heat raced through her, and she dropped her hands from covering her breasts, her nipples hardening even more.

  “Lana, I want you to go back to the bed and bend over. Arrange your dress so that your bottom is bared for me. I can see that one spanking isn’t enough for you today.”

  Lana stilled, her eyes staring at him like a deer in headlights. When she didn’t respond, he pointed toward the beds and narrowed his eyes in a blatant warning. Slowly, she rose and dragged her feet as she did what she was told. Making it to the bed far too quickly, Lana parted the fabric that covered her bottom. The cool air caressed her skin, making her fiercely aware of how bare she was, and how wet she was between her thighs. She bent over the bed, and realized as she did so that the bed was higher than usual. It was the perfect height so that when she bent over, her torso lay flat on the bed.

  Looking back, she watched as Dante approached her. He seemed bigger than she remembered—more powerful, more domineering, and sexier. The last thought surprised her. Her thighs quivering, she watched him, wondering what was going to happen next.

  Dante placed a hand on her lower back, running his fingers down her sensitive, very naked skin. Bending over, he rested his lips next to her ear.

  “Such a naughty girl. Now I’m going to have to punish you.”

  A shiver raced through her.

  Dante’s fingers touched her bottom, and then, he slid his hand between her legs. Lana closed her eyes in shame when she realized he could feel exactly how her body was responding to him, his fingertips sliding over her slippery folds. A helpless whimper escaped her lips as he continued his inspection. When he eventually took his hand away, she felt bereft, her skin denied his warmth. She wasn’t to feel that way for long though.

  He rose swiftly and placed his left hand on her back, holding her in place. His right began to spank her, swiftly turning her pink flesh to a brilliant red. The smacks stung, building a fire that she could feel not only in her bottom, but also deep within her core. He spanked all over her bottom, and then focused on her upper thighs. Her cries became more desperate as the sting grew to immense proportions. When he stopped, she breathed a sigh of relief, not sure how much more she could take.

  “Look at me, Lana.” She complied, twisting her head to look back at him. He had his hands resting on the buckle of his belt. Her eyes opened wide as they rushed up to meet his.

  Time seemed to slow as he unbuckled his belt. Her unease grew as the belt made a swishing noise as he pulled it from his pants. She watched as he folded it over and jumped when he snapped the leather together. He couldn’t mean to spank her with that, could he? Would he?

  “Lana, in the future, you are to ask permission before you pleasure yourself. If I catch you again, I will punish you much more se
verely. As it stands, I must teach you that I am your master, and to do that, I am going to give you ten licks of the belt for your disobedience.”

  “Yes, sir,” she whispered. Oddly calm, she watched as he raised the belt, and she saw the leather swing down to meet her bottom cheeks. There was something amazingly hot in the way he forced her to submit and how he dominated her. Facing forward, she lifted her bottom for his chastisement.

  A line of fire blossomed across her cheeks as the belt caught her directly across the middle of her bottom. Again and again, the belt quickly fell, breathing a fire like she had never known before. Her breath caught as the burn quickly became overwhelming. She quickly lost count after the first few fell.

  Suddenly, the belt paused its relentless strikes.

  “Arch your back so that I may punish your sit spots. You will remember this punishment tomorrow every time you sit down. You have four more to take, and if you do not present yourself properly, I will double your punishment. Is that clear?”

  “Yes, sir,” she said, her voice husky, strained from the punishment her bottom was taking. Complying with his request, she arched her back. Lana realized just how bare her bottom was, how naked she was to his eyes. He could see everything, every inch of her secret parts, from her bottom hole to what was between her thighs. She looked forward and waited for him to continue his punishment.

  Hearing the swish of the belt, she arched her back even harder, gasping as the belt caught her where the curve of her buttocks met her upper thigh. She blinked away tears before the belt caught her again in the same spot. Gasping as the pain radiated through her, she rose up on her toes. Then, remembering he wanted her and had commanded her to present herself for him as he punished her, she settled back into place obediently.

  The belt came down twice more, burning what she felt was a permanent line into her skin, the burn swelling to overwhelming proportions. He paused between each one, giving her time to catch her breath and blink away her tears.

  Dante dropped the belt to the floor, and scraped his nails over her sensitive thighs and punished bottom. Lana yelped, intense feelings of pleasure racing through her at the unexpected treatment. She moaned as she pushed herself back at him, pain and pleasure intermingling in the most delicious way. His fingers explored her thighs, touching her everywhere but where she really wanted. Her whines grew more desperate as her need continued to grow.

  Finally, he slid his fingers exactly where she wanted, gliding across her slick folds, wet with her arousal. Panting, she pushed back into him, hoping he would give her exactly what she needed. He cupped her sex and again bent over her, his lips next to her ear.

  “This is mine,” he growled, his voice low and throaty with his own desire. Her pussy throbbed with want. She felt wild and wicked, bent over the bed, completely bare for whatever Dante wanted to do to her. The thought of what she looked like, him standing behind her, touching her in the wickedest of ways, nearly took her over the edge.

  He slid his fingers forward, circling her bud, causing her to buck against him. He teased her relentlessly, varying the pressure as he touched her, and backing off when she thought she would come, until he slid his fingers backward. He paused, the tips of his fingers waiting at her entrance.

  “Tell me you want it.”

  “Yes, sir. Please, I want it. Please,” she begged. His fingers felt impossibly large as they entered her, slipping in without pause because of how wet she was. First he inserted one finger, and then two, before he began to move within her.

  The feeling was instant, the pleasure overwhelming. She felt whole, his fingers rubbing her in exactly all the right places inside her. It wasn’t long before she was breathless, moans escaping her throat. Feeling wanton, her hips rolled and she met his thrusts, taking his fingers deeper and deeper. Suddenly, it was all too much, and her orgasm shattered through her, her pussy clamping hard down on his fingers. Her screams of pleasure echoed as she began to calm, Dante slowly withdrawing his hand from her.

  Almost with a sense of ceremony, he arranged her sheer fabric dress back together to cover her skin, and then he sat on the bed beside her. Taking her into his arms, he cradled her against him. Her heart seemed to pump extremely loud as she caught her breath and her body settled, delightful feelings covering every inch of her. Cuddling against him, she sat on his lap and rested her head on his shoulder, her hands around his waist. She could feel his hardness against the curve of her bottom. Clearly she affected him as much as he did her. Smiling softly, she listened to the beat of his heart, and her blood subsequently began to settle. She was sated, at least for the moment. Slowly, Lana raised her eyes to meet his, only to find he was watching her.

  His ice blue eyes were warm, like the light blue of the ocean on the white sandy beaches of Mexico. She didn’t say a word, and just gazed at him.

  A knock sounded on the door, and Lana jumped a little. Looking back at the door, she contemplated who it might be.

  “Come in,” Dante said.

  Wes opened the door, with Emma in tow.

  “Your timing is impeccable,” Dante said, a small smile growing at the corner of his lips.

  “That stupid mongrel of yours wouldn’t let us in. We grabbed a drink while we were waiting, and a bite for dinner. “

  At the mention of food, Lana’s stomach grumbled loudly, and she hid her face in response. She couldn’t help herself and giggled at the sound. Dante stood and set her down on the bed, pulling the covers up over her.

  “Let me go grab some food for us. Wes, keep an eye on her until I return. I shouldn’t be long. You can give the order to move once I get back. Rest, Lana.”

  She nodded and watched him as he walked out of the carriage. Her eyes shifted to Wes and Emma, who had both settled on the couch together. Realizing Wes was watching her intently, she pulled her knees up to her chest and the covers up over her chin, doing her best to hide herself. Hesitantly, she met his eyes, and promptly narrowed them at the amusement that was painted all over his face.

  “I knew the king would want you.”

  “Why?” she asked, unable to keep her slight irritation out of her voice. Why was she so special? Why would the king want only her?

  “That is for him to tell, not I.”

  Lana pouted, before she realized she could pester Wes with all the questions that had been swirling in her head.

  “Hey, Wes?”

  “Yes?”

  “So this is a super advanced planet, right? Your people value science?”

  “Yup.”

  “Why then are we not taking something like a car… or teleporting to this place, or flying there? I don’t get it.”

  “It is tradition. A substance runs many of the things you are talking about, which is only available on Earth. I believe you call it oil. We don’t have that here. Dark matter, collected in the far reaches of the galaxy, powers our ships. We don’t like to waste this precious commodity for worldly travel. Only in cases of extreme need are exceptions made and the resource used.”

  “So the wolves, lions, and horses are your main means of travel?”

  Wes nodded in response.

  “It gives them an extreme sense of pride to be our source of travel. They are also a source of protection for us. Many of us have raised our steeds from cubs, or a pup in Dante’s case. The bonds between us are immense.”

  “So you have a lion as your mount then?”

  “Yes. His name is Asad.”

  “Can I ask you something else?”

  “Sure.”

  “The Hall of Magic? Can you tell me about that? Dante and I passed it on our way here earlier today.”

  “No.”

  Lana nearly growled in frustration. Getting information out of Wes was proving to be a bigger challenge than she’d initially thought. She pressed him further. “Why?”

  “Because it’s a place for free humans. Erassans don’t go there, not without permission.”

  �
��Really? Why is that?”

  “It is a holy place, for humans who develop special abilities here on Terranovum. They are granted their freedom when this happens, as it is rare. I have never been there, but Dante has.”

  “He has?”

  “You’ll have to talk to him about it. I am forbidden from telling you anything more about that.”

  Lana groaned in response, having reached another dead end with the man. Wes smiled at her annoyance. She decided not to focus on him any further and greeted Emma. The girl looked up at her and smiled.

  “He isn’t being too mean to you, is he, Emma?”

  Wes looked back at Emma, expectation evident in his features.

  “Go on, Emma, show her how mean I’ve been to you,” he responded, his smirk growing to epic proportions.

  “But sir…” Emma whined softly.

  “Do you need a repeat lesson?”

  “No, sir…” Emma stood and turned around. She parted the red fabric so that her naked bottom was on display. Her bottom cheeks were a brilliant scarlet from a spanking that couldn’t have occurred that long ago. Lana could still see his handprints on her upper thighs, and she was silent, not wanting to show her own very sore bottom, probably well striped from the belt Dante had just used to punish her.

  “Was I that mean, Emma?”

  “No, sir. I deserved it.”

  “Tell Lana what you did to warrant your spanking, Emma.” A deep blush had bloomed over the girl’s cheeks, her embarrassment from having to show her friend the results of her punishment very clear.

  “I spoke without permission in the bar. Wes bared my bottom and spanked me in front of everyone. I’m afraid the wine we were drinking went to my head and I forgot my place… So I had to be spanked.” Emma’s eyes were glued to the floor.

  Dante walked in that moment and heard what Emma had said. He had a bag in his hands that smelled like delicious fried food. Lana’s mouth watered.