The Playful Prince Read online

  Tori nodded, already making a chain of command list in her head. “Is that all?”

  “No,” Franklin continued. “After one day the majority of scientists will be coming back on board. We’d like you to stay behind with a team of no more than three. Due to the delicate nature of the circumstance, you will need to secure your own permission to remain on the planet. It cannot be an official HIA request. We need you to run a scan of the surrounding marshland to see if there is anything my agent might have missed. I estimate it should only take a little over a month to test the surrounding area.”

  Tori listened to him with a sense of astonishment. “You’re joking. I was told the assignment was only for a few days. I don’t have time for—”

  “I never joke about something so serious,” Franklin answered sternly. Tori doubted the man joked about anything. “And ESC assures me you aren’t due anywhere else. They said you refused to sign another contract and were planning to take a vacation. I’d say saving lives takes precedence over those plans, Doctor Elliot. I took the liberty of canceling your hotel room on Quazer and all flight plans. Refunds have been credited to your account, as well as a hefty HIA advance for doing this. I suggest you volunteer for the assignment, Doctor Elliot. If we have to force you to do it, you won’t get paid.”

  Tori frowned. Those were lovely options. Do it and get paid, do it and don’t get paid. In her head she laughed sarcastically, but she didn’t dare make a sound to him.

  “But...why me?” She asked, confused. “I’ve never dealt with a biological weapons threat before. I specialize in chemical spills and environ tests. I think there has been a mistake. Surely there is someone else on board more qualified to handle—”

  “There is, but you have unique qualifications we feel will help in this particular situation. We want you in charge.” Franklin stood, looking uncomfortable. He reached over, picking up an electronic clipboard. He pushed a button and began to look over her file. “Your record as a scientist is impeccable and you are qualified in the fields we need for this particular assignment. Your records state that you are a leading authority on physical geography and biogeography, not to mention your experience in a wide array of areas—atmospheric sciences, chemistry, oceanography, physics, botany, and microbiology. We also feel your background in bio—”

  “Yes,” Tori interrupted. “I’m well aware of my field of study. I don’t need my educational past and work history read for me. What I do need to know is what exactly my unique qualifications are that would make me the best candidate for this job.”

  Franklin cleared his throat and set the clipboard on the desk. He hit the button to draw down the 3D map. The red sphere disappeared.

  “Director?” she insisted when he was quiet.

  “How much do you know about Qurilixen?” Franklin rubbed the bridge of his nose.

  “Not much,” Tori admitted. “I don’t think I’ve even heard it mentioned before today.”

  “Qurilixen is a planet predominately of males. Due to the blue radiation of one of their three suns, it’s nearly genetically impossible for them to produce female children. There are two main races—the Var, who we will be in contact with, and the Draig. Both are monarchies.” Franklin lifted a paper folder off his desk and handed it to her. “Here, I had intelligence put this together for you. Since this planet is not part of the intergalactic treaty, we don’t have much else to go on. But, we’ve had an agent working on the planet for several months and are assured the Var will be cooperative in our efforts. What we do have on them will be in there. I suggest you read it over carefully.”

  Tori nodded once and tucked the folder under her arm.

  “We need you to get a scientific proposal ready to present to the Var king and any other officials there might be. As I said, they aren’t a part of the intergalactic treaty. It would be best for all concerned if we received permission to check their marshes and caves first. It would severely decrease the risk to anyone poking around down there if we have that permission. I’ll be blunt. If we need to do this covertly, we will, but the life risk greatly increases.”

  “Namely for me,” she said.

  “Yes, doctor, namely for you and any with you.”

  “Is there reason to believe this is a hostile territory?” she asked, keeping her voice calm, though inside she was tense with nerves.

  “I honestly don’t know. If there is, they’re territorial skirmishes, isolated to the planet itself.” Franklin cleared his throat, boldly meeting her gaze. “Stay neutral and don’t take sides.”

  “I still don’t understand how that makes me qualified for this,” Tori said, pulling the folder from beneath her arm. She looked at the cover stamped top secret, but didn’t open it. “I’m not trained for hostile territory and know very little about intergalactic negotiations. Wouldn’t you need someone with a political background for this?”

  “It’s simple, Doctor Elliot.” Franklin did his best not to grin, but she could see the humor in his eyes.

  Great, now he decides to get a sense of humor, she thought.

  “They’re a planet of men,” Franklin stated. “And you’re the youngest, most attractive, most qualified female scientist we have.”

  3

  Advanced scientific study since she could read, a doctorate in two scientific fields by the time she was twelve, and several masters in many others since that time, ten years of intense on-the-job experience, countless brain uploads, and here she was reduced to being pimped out by the HIA because she was a woman. If her Galaxy Playmate sister, ‘Sapphire’, ever found out about this, she’d never hear the end of it. It was just too humiliating for words.

  “Oh, this is too good,” Tori mumbled. “They lose some stupid government weapon and I’m reduced to simpering and flirting with a bunch of savages so they can make sure they got it all back.”

  Tori took a sip of wine and looked down at the contents of the “top secret” folder she’d been given. Most of the photographs were aerial views taken from a satellite. There were a few pages of specs about the planet’s surface, some graphs of atmospheric readings, and miscellaneous notes about the weather and culture. All of it was pretty basic and made her wonder just how intelligent the HIA “intelligence” really was.

  Tori snorted, reaching down to the floor and emptying the wine bottle into her glass. She was well on her way to getting drunk but didn’t care. They weren’t arriving on Qurilixen until the next morning, and she’d have plenty of time to sleep it off.

  The Var were a race of shape-shifting cats. Apparently, not much was really known about them, other than they were in the process of negotiating peace with the Draig—their shape-shifting dragon neighbors. The Qurilixian, in general, were classified as a warrior class that had many petty territorial skirmishes that broke out every fifteen or so years between the rival kingdoms.

  The best comparison anyone could make was that the men were like the barbaric warriors of medieval Old Earth. Both races worshiped many gods and favored natural comforts to modern technological conveniences. Intelligence assumed, from the concentrated areas of cropland and cow-like animal herds to the far north and south, that they preferred to raise, grow, and cook their own food.

  Tori sighed, pushing the papers away. None of the information was helpful to her. Unless the term barbaric society meant, batting eyelashes and wiggling hips would easily sway them. What in the world did she know about flirting? She wasn’t ugly, but she’d never be voted Galaxy Playmate of the year like her bimbo of a sister either. When Sapphire was learning to put on makeup, she’d been building model quasars and performing scientific tests while restructuring their density.

  “Medieval Old Earth,” she mused, kicking the folder and contents off her mattress with her bare foot as she lay down. Reaching over the side of the bed, she placed the wine glass on the floor. “Not exactly a flattering description—disease, ignorance, superstition, bad hygiene, missing teeth, boils, pockmarks...”

  Tori continued mu
mbling her long list, as she closed her eyes. The mental image she had of the Qurilixian people wasn’t exactly flattering. She was used to dealing with corporate business types and other scientists, not superstitious peasants. She mentally recapped what she’d learned from the thin file to make sure she retained the facts.

  The Var palace was a magnificent structure, dominating the surrounding Var city in the valley beneath it. According to the human women who had come to live in the palace over the centuries, it reminded them of the basic structure of the medieval castles found long ago on Old Earth, with a Moroccan blend to the architectural design.

  The Var people were skilled craftsmen and it showed. Since a Var man would live for hundreds of years, they had a lot of time to perfect their skills. Inside, the palace had fantastically hand woven rugs for the floors and beds. The beautiful inlaid tile walls were of intricate symmetrical patterns. The tiles showcased an exceptional display of colors—blue, red, orange, gold, green. The arched doorways were carved to perfection and great detail.

  But, not only was the palace beautiful, it was functional. The halls were like a maze, and it was easy for those not familiar with them to get lost. The mainframe computer was engineered into every room and hall, even the center courtyard that the family used for privacy. Siren, the mainframe’s programmed name, could answer questions, read life functions, open doors, prepare food, anything a busy Var prince might need. With the right level of security clearance, a person could even order Siren to locate anyone on the grounds or alert the palace guards. It was here in this lush, cushy paradise that the five Var princes grew up.

  The oldest, Kirill, was now king. He was recently named ruler after the death of his father, King Attor. Next in line was Falke, the Commander of the Guards. Reid was Commander of the Outlands and also had a twin brother named...

  Tori frowned and sat up. Looking over the side of the bed, she saw the paper she was looking for and picked it up. Scanning over the sheet in the dim light, she read, “Twin brother named Jarek, personality and situation unknown.”

  She dropped the paper and lay back down. The twins were the only princes with the same mother. Jarek was in space, so she didn’t have to worry about him.

  “Lovely culture,” she mused, chuckling drunkenly. “Okay, Tori, focus. The more facts you know, the better prepared you are.”

  Prince Quinn, the youngest of the Var brothers, was the ambassador. Ambassadors, in her experience, were usually bores—ugly, boring, tediously pompous windbags.

  “Hmm, Prince Quinn. Well, because I’m a foreigner, I’ll probably have to deal with you,” Tori mumbled thoughtfully. “Let’s just hope you have some semblance of manners, shall we?”

  Tori snorted, laughing to herself. She closed her eyes, really close to falling asleep. Her mind swirled with the pleasant numbness of liquor.

  “Mmm, let’s just hope you know how to bathe.”

  4

  Prince Quinn of the Var smiled playfully at the lovely woman next to him. Leaning his face forward, he nuzzled her cheek with his light, seductive kisses, flicking his tongue out over her skin until she shivered. “I told you the king was in love. He’ll not take any other mistresses. I’m sorry, Linzi, but you’ll just have to look elsewhere.”

  “Elsewhere, like here?” Linzi giggled. She smiled prettily, as her hand went straight for Quinn’s large erection. Impishly batting her dark eyelashes at the handsome prince, she stroked him through his clothes. Her look was of pure invitation, making it clear that she was more than ready to meet the young prince’s desires right then and there in the palace hallway. She licked her lips and tilted her mouth up to his in offering.

  Quinn chuckled. Linzi was a beautiful woman and luckily he didn’t have the same problem as his older brother Kirill. Kirill was in love with his mistress, an agent for the Human Intelligence Agency. If Kirill played his hand right, Ulyssa would soon be his queen and he would be life mated to one woman for the rest of his days, giving her the ability to live just as long as he did.

  Linzi stroked him harder when he didn’t immediately take her offered lips. Quinn’s look darkened, becoming devilishly mischievous in its intent as he leaned in for a kiss. His fingers lifted to cup a firm breast, causing the woman to moan. He had no such plans for life mating to one woman. He liked being carefree. He liked playing around, having fun. Marriage didn’t sound like much fun to him. Besides, what was it his father had always said?

  “Women are like fruit on the vine, each piece sweeter than the first. Why sample one, when you can sample them all?”

  Quinn moaned lightly. If he played his hand right, Linzi would soon be pressed against the palace wall fulfilling his very masculine desires. He deepened his kiss, thrusting his tongue boldly past her lips.

  “Excuse me, sir, could you tell me where—Oh, good gods in heaven!”

  Quinn pulled back from Linzi’s lips and whispered, “Just a moment, sweetheart. Don’t go anywhere.”

  Linzi giggled. She was pressed against the wall by Quinn’s body so she couldn’t move if she wanted to. By the look on her face, she definitely didn’t want to.

  Smiling, the prince tilted back just far enough to see the bearer of the mortified voice. Quinn wasn’t too surprised to discover it was a female scientist. HIA scientists were crawling all over the palace, checking to make sure everyone was all right and not contaminated.

  His father, King Attor, had ordered a biological weapon from the Medical Mafia, storing it in a cave in the swamplands. HIA Agent Ulyssa Payne, Kirill’s mistress, discovered it. With the combined help of the Var and Draig royal houses, they managed to retrieve the weapon so that the HIA could take it off Qurilixen. The fact that the Draig, their ancient enemies, had banded together to help them was a great historical moment. Attor had always strived to conquer the Draig, but his last act in buying the biological weapon just might have caused the two houses to find peace. It forced the Draig and Var to work together, to trust each other with their loved ones’ lives.

  The Draig princes and their wives were now guests at the palace and had stayed to make sure the weapon did actually leave. No one wanted the weapon left on the planet, and they were all more than happy to see it go. If removing the weapon also meant dealing with a bunch of scientists, so be it. It was better to get the situation fully checked out, instead of not knowing until it was too late that the palace had been contaminated.

  The woman scientist averted her gaze to the side, frowning in disapproval. Linzi pulled her hand off his arousal and rested it instead on his arm. Quinn stayed where he was, not moving his palm from her breast. He had nothing to be embarrassed about. Sex was as natural to his people as breathing. Besides, the doctor had wandered into his private hall.

  “Can I help you?” he asked politely as if he’d been caught staring at a cloud in the blue-green Qurilixen sky and not pawing a disheveled woman.

  He didn’t think it was possible, but the scientist’s tanned features flushed a darker shade of red. She glanced at the floor then back at the wall. Her fingers clutched at the electronic clipboard she carried. Quinn finally let go of Linzi when he saw the woman wasn’t even tempted to glance back at them. He grinned. There was no point in continuing a show if there was no longer an audience.

  “I’ll see you later, my lord,” Linzi said softly. Quinn barely paid her any notice as she went running down the hall toward the palace harem where she lived. She’d been one of King Attor’s women, though she’d never actually slept with the dead king, but was merely a forgotten member of his once massive collection. When their father died in battle against the Draig, Kirill had urged the women to find husbands and leave the palace. Many had done so happily. Those that were left were still technically looking for mates. However, until that day came, they were more than happy to bide their time in the harem, flirting and sleeping with the handsome, rich princes.

  The scientist didn’t readily speak as Linzi disappeared around the corner. Quinn stepped back from the wall and cr
ossed his arms over his chest. Now that he was closer, he was afforded a better view of her. She was by no means too slender and reedy, but neither was she too plump. The lush curves of her body called to his hands. His palms itched to touch her, to test her womanly softness. Her rounded hips, her larger breasts, breasts made to smother a man’s face in pleasure. Quinn didn’t think it was possible, but his erection lurched and became harder, painful in its size and need.

  The scientist took a deep breath and struggled with her words. Finally, she stated, “I’m looking for Prince Quinn. I was told he was in this direction.”

  Quinn smiled. The woman again clutched nervously at an electronic clipboard in her hands, working her fingers along the sides. Letting his voice dip, he said, “I’m Quinn.”

  “You...?” She blinked in surprise, turning her dark eyes up to him. She assessed him in a cold manner that actually did nothing to hamper his arousal. If anything, he became more excited by it. “You can’t possibly be...I mean...you are...a prince?”

  Her words trailed off as her eyes finally traveled down to his protruding groin. A strange squeaking noise sounded in the back of her throat. Quinn grinned, sniffing the air. The sudden pouring of feminine interest emanated from her thighs, and he detected the distinct perfume of her desire, her unmistakable lust. It called to him. Before he knew what he was doing, he stepped forward and reached for her.

  Tori had been stunned to find Prince Quinn making out with a woman in the hall for all to see, but she couldn’t say she was terribly surprised. His girlfriend didn’t seem as proud to be caught in public and Tori watched as the woman practically tripped to get away from them.