“Thank you,” Herzer said, prying her hand off of his leg. “But I killed it with a sword.”
“And what a sword it was!” Meredith said and giggled again, slapping her hand over her mouth. “Whoops. Nice sword. And a very nice club, too!”
“And all mine,” Megan said, leaning over and pulling his mouth down on hers, her other hand sliding up his leg.
“Meanie,” Shanea said, pouting. “Shared Paul!”
“Mine,” Megan repeated when she’d drawn back from the long kiss. “Come on, Herzer you big stud,” she said, using his shoulder to get to her feet. “We were just about to find out if you fit or not.”
“Megan,” Herzer said, shaking his head but getting to his feet. “You’re a little drunk.”
“I’m a lot drunk,” Megan said, nodding her head sharply. “S’why I’m gonna jump your bones. Come on.”
She dragged him out of the room as the other three watched sadly.
“There’s all these guards and things, around,” Shanea said, thoughtfully.
“You go ahead,” Meredith replied, lying down on the couch. “If I can’t get Herzer, I’m just going to lie here and pass out.”
“S’good idea,” Mirta said, slumping in her chair.
“Wimps,” Shanea muttered, clambering to her feet. “There’s a whole platoon of guards here. Making me do all the work. Just like always.”
“You go right ahead,” Meredith repeated, closing her eyes and then opening them. “Mirta?”
“Yeah?” the woman asked.
“Why’s the room spinning?”
“Because you’re about to throw up.”
Sergeant Sirous came to attention as the door to the councilwoman’s chambers opened and stopped himself from shaking his head at the sight of the Key-holder’s extremely drunk maid.
“Miss Shanea,” he said, formally. “Given the circumstances, all of you should remain in the councilwoman’s chambers.”
“’M goin’ to my room,” Shanea said, holding onto the doorframe for support. “S’right there,” she added, pointing in the general direction. “There’s s’ big scorpion in it. But iss dead.”
“And we removed the carcass, ma’am,” the sergeant said, sighing. “But we would prefer not to disperse out guards. Please stay in the councilwoman’s chambers.”
“’M goin’ to my room,” Shanea said, lunging forward and grasping the neck of his armor. “An’ you’re going with me.”
“If you insist on going I’ll detach a team to ensure your safety,” Sirous said, reaching up and gently prying at her hand.
“You don’t understan’, soldier boy,” Shanea said, yanking him forward. “I’m talking about you! Going with me. To my room. Come on. S’ an order. Bring some more guards. Gonna need lots a guards…”
“Megan,” Herzer said, lowering her onto the bed. “Are you sure about this?”
“You bet,” she said, pulling off her shirt. “Will you look at these?”
“They’re lovely,” Herzer said, smiling. He was barely buzzed and he was afraid that if he actually took her in this condition it would screw things up royally.
“Suck ’em,” Megan said, lunging up and grabbing him by the hair to drag him down. “I want you to suck on ’em! I know you want to. I’m going to give you everything you want, Herzer. Everything.”
Herzer slid his hand under her breast to cup it and sank down on the bed next to her.
“I love you,” he said.
“You’d better,” Megan said. “Or I’ll turn you into a newt,” she added with a giggle. “A well-hung newt. Keep you in a pot.”
“Well, as long as I’m your newt,” Herzer said, unbuttoning her pants and lowering his lips to her small, pink aureoles just as there was a knock on the bedroom door.
“WHAT?” he shouted, gritting his teeth.
“Herzer,” Cruz said. “We have a… bit of a situation…”
“I’ll be right back,” Herzer said, slipping off the bed. “I promise.”
“You’d better be,” Megan said, pouting. “Turn you into a newt.”
Cruz led him out into the corridor where Herzer nodded at the sight of the reinforced guard force. He noticed that the guards were… unusually wooden.
“Miss Shanea insisted that Sergeant Sirous accompany her back to her room,” Cruz said in a low tone. “And now she’s in there, crying.”
“Why?” Herzer asked.
“Because he won’t have sex with her,” Cruz said bluntly.
“Is he gay?” Herzer asked, puzzled.
“No,” Cruz ground out. “He’s on duty. And she’s the councilwoman’s friend. And she keeps asking where the rest of her guards are!”
“He doesn’t want to be turned into a newt?” Herzer asked. “Cruz, listen to me very carefully. Get… four more guards. Have them ensure her safety from inside her room. In… plain clothes or no clothes as the case may be. Tell them to screw the ever living daylights out of her.”
“What?”
“Screw her,” Herzer said. “Bang her. Fisk her pretty little ass off. Whatever she wants. Just get the girl laid for the Bull God’s sake. If one of them gets tired, switch them off until she gets tired or passes out or whatever. Call for another platoon if you have to but don’t bother me again unless the world is ending. Clear?”
Cruz looked at him befuddled for a second and then grinned.
“Clear,” he said, trying not to laugh. “Combat reaction?”
“Worst case of it I’ve ever seen and the girl is a nymphomaniac,” Herzer said. “And she hasn’t been getting any. So… whatever it takes.”
“I wasn’t actually talking about her,” Cruz said with a grin. “Do you mind if I… take a short break from duty?”
“If you’ve got an able assistant,” Herzer ground out.
“I do,” Cruz said, still grinning. “Night.”
“Good night.”
When Herzer got back to the bedroom, Megan was snoring softly.
Chapter Ten
When Herzer walked into the kitchen the next morning, Megan was sitting in the breakfast nook, her elbows on the table and her head clutched in her hands. Shanea was lying back in her chair, eyes closed, mouth open, breathing slowly. She’d apparently taken time to do her hair and makeup so she looked like a very pretty corpse.
Herzer tiptoed across the room to the percolator and started to get out the makings.
“Is there any coffee?” Shanea said, softly, smacking her lips. “I have this… really familiar taste in my mouth.”
Megan groaned, softly, and shook her head.
“GOOD morning, troops!” Duke Edmund said, striding through the door.
“I do not need this,” Megan muttered, clutching her head. “I can’t turn you into a newt.”
“I think I can take one more soldier,” Shanea muttered.
“Have a fine time last night?” Edmund asked jovially.
“No,” Megan said. “Ashly is dead.”
“And everyone else is alive,” Edmund replied, sharply. “That is a very good thing.”
“Except for the nearly getting killed part, I had a good time last night,” Shanea said. “What I remember of it.”