Chapter 23

"Katrina, wake up, sweetheart. You have to let me go. Or I won't be responsible for my actions," Charlie groaned against her nightgown covered chest. He could feel her hard nipples rubbing against his lips. His mouth watered at the thought of sucking on them. He closed his eyes against the temptation. He knew that going to bed with her on the eve of their joining was going to come back to haunt him. But he had been unable to resist the pleading in her chocolate eyes. He wondered briefly if this was going to cause a problem in the future for him. Would she be able to talk him into doing anything she wanted?

"Charlie!" she moaned in her sleep as she arched her back and pressed one of her nipples against his lips. He hissed in response before reaching up and untangling her fingers from his hair. After freeing himself, he rolled away from her and stood up abruptly. He clenched his fists at his sides, his chest was rising and falling rapidly. He could feel the nearing of the full moon. He glanced over at the clock. It was still early and he knew that he had many responsibilities to fufill before their joining ceremonies.

He was jolted out of these thoughts when he felt Kat's hand touch the small of his back. He looked over his shoulder to see Kat sitting up - all rumpled and tousled from sleep.

"Good morning, Charlie." She said before stretching. He growled low in his throat as he watched the shift of her body in the early morning light.

"Morning. I have to go." He said as he reached for his shirt.

"Why?" Kat asked, confused by his abrupt manner.

"Patience, Hellkat. My immediate responsibilities are the only things that is keeping me from crawling back into that bed and giving you what you are asking for."

"Responsibilities!" She growled. He tensed as he heard the anger in her voice. He turned around and buttoned his shirt.

"As King I have genuine, important responsibilities today. I have to prepare for the Renewal Festival. We are not the only ones that will bond today. There will be many others that will come forward to have the King of Venus recognize their unions. My mother and Councilman Dean will be amongst those who are part of the proceedings."

She flopped back with a sigh of impatience. He couldn't help gasp when his power flared briefly at the sound. He slipped his trousers on before sitting back down on the edge of the bed. Leaning down, he slipped his feet into the soft leather slippers that he wore around the palace, kind of like moccasins.

Kat sighed again and reopened her eyes. She watched as he finished pulling his clothes on. She could feel the undercurrents pulling her to him. He locked gazes with her before slowly covering her mouth with his. By the time they broke apart, they were both breathing raggedly. Charlie leaned his forehead against hers as he tried to calm his breathing. Kat had her arms wrapped around his neck tightly.

"I love you, Hellkat. I will be waiting for you." he whispered softly. "And if your ass is one minute late, there is no place you are going to be able to hide." he said before he reluctantly left their bed and walked out of the room.

"As if!" Kat whispered as she pressed her fingers to her throbbing lips. Closing her eyes, she whimpered. Her nipples were stiff and the inside of her thighs were wet with her juices. If this is what a kiss was going to do, what the hell was going to happen when they consummated their union?

Charles walked into the study to find King Mica and Prince Rand waiting for him.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. I had a hard time getting up this morning. I didn't realize how late it was."

"Had a hard time leaving your chosen this morning?" Mica asked as Charlie poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Yes. I don't know what possessed me to stay with her last night. In all honesty, I'll admit I woke up this morning barely able to leave her untouched. The bonding ceremony can't come soon enough."

Elena closed the door to the hotel room behind her. It had been a close get-away. She shook her head as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She couldn't believe that she had lost control of her feelings to the point that she had attacked her little bitch of a daughter. If attacking the future queen wasn't enough to get her ass deported or thrown in jail, she didn't know what was.

"Such a look, Elena. One would think that you have done something that you might have regretted. Could it be that you regret having your husband thrown in jail; or is it the fact that you attacked the future queen of Areseric?" Aric asked before he grabbed her from behind.

Elena shrieked as he threw her onto the bed. She tried to scramble off the bed. Aric growled before pouncing on her. Pinning her arms above her head, he ground his obvious erection against her.

"You know if you wanted the charges to stick, WIFE, you should have made sure that you filed the appropriate reports. When they never received the exams that confirmed my abuse, they had no choice but to let me go." he taunted as he made both of their clothes disappear.

"Please Aric!" She pleaded as he slid deep inside of her.

"I shouldn't," he growled pain and anger evident in his eyes. "I should rape your ass. Isn't that what you told the Enforcers. That I raped your ass. If that was the case why the hell did you come, Elena? But you didn't tell him about the fact that as soon as I buried my cock in your ass you climaxed so hard that you ripped the sheet apart with your fingernails ... and screamed for more." His voice grated harshly as he started to thrust in and out of her.

Elena gasped as pleasure spiraled through her. She wished for a moment that he didn't have such control of her body - so she could resist him but it was not to be. She skated along the edge of release as he continued to pound against her. She squealed when he suddenly rolled over on his back, placing her on top of him.

"Ohhhhh!" she moaned as he forced her to sit up on top of him. The movement caused her to slip over the edge. She wailed helplessly as pleasure exploded along her nerve endings. He growled and grabbed her hips to hold her still for his upward thrusts.

"Yes. Come all over me!" he growled before pressing his head back against the pillows and following her over the edge.

Pati watched as Jonathan slowly dressed. They had just finished making love. Her body was replete for the moment. She couldn't help but admire the whipcord lean body of her husband. Her skin still tingled from his touch. She sighed in pleasure as he pulled a fresh shirt out of the closet.

"When were you going to tell me?" She finally asked.

"Tell you what, sweetheart?" he asked as he fixed his collar and started buttoning it.

"About the cure?"

He stilled before coming over and sitting down next to her on the bed. He reached up and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"I was going to tell you after the ceremony. Until the mezclar releases it's grip on Kat, we won't be able to perform it. Even then it is such a serious procedure that I need to explain it and all of its consequences to you, before we even decide whether or not to go through with it."

"What's going on, Jonathan? Why are you stalling?" she asked.

"Be patient, Pati. We will deal with this after the Renewal Festival. What is one more week, baby?" he asked. "I still love you and even if you decide not to go through with Kat's 'cure', I will always be there for you. You know I love making love to you every morning."

Tears filled Pati's eyes. Jonathan smiled softly.

"Don't cry sweetheart." he whispered brushing her tears away from her cheek.

"Sorry, pregnancy hormones." she said shakily before wrapping her arms around his neck. He sighed and pulled her close to him savoring her warmth.

Kat pulled at the stiff fabric of her ceremonial robes. She felt nervous and fidgety. It had only been a few hours since Charlie had left, but it felt like it had been two days since she had last seen him. She squirmed as she stared out the window of her sitting room.

She was dragged out of her thoughts by a knock on her door.

"Come in."

The door opened to admit, King Mica and his wife, Queen Aria. Kat warmly smiled at them as she rose to greet them. She had spoken with Mica briefly but the Queen must have arrived recently; since she hadn't seen her since she, herself, had left Trila

to come to Areseric with Charlie.

"Katrina, my dear," the queen greeted as she glided into the room. She was dressed in her own ceremonial robes. As usual Kat was struck at the regal simplicity of the queen's robes. They were made of the most luscious fabrics that Venus had to offer, but the design of the gown was made to flow with the queen's generous curves.

Even though Aria and Mica were into their "golden years" they were both fit and active. If it weren't for the silvering of Mica's hair and the laugh lines around Aria's eyes one would never guess they were entering their retirement age.

"Queen Aria, I hadn't realized that you had arrived. How thoughtless of me. I should have been downstairs to greet you. I haven't even become queen yet and here I am neglecting my duties." Kat laughed as she rushed forward to meet them.

"Nonsense child. This is your big day. You will finally be bonding with your chosen and becoming the Queen of this country. I will say that the Venusian World Council will be livened up by your presence."

"My grandfather mentioned to me that the Queens and Kings of all the minor countries sit on the council that you and Mica govern."

"Soon Rand and Gracie will take Mica's and my place. It is time for the council to come into this century. The four of you have a bit of young blood that will go a long way to keeping them on their toes."

Kat laughed softly as she led them over to the couch that she had just vacated. As they all settled down, she wondered why the Monarch of Venus had chosen to visit her this morning.

"But that is not the reason why we stopped by this morning." Mica replied.

Kat waited patiently for him to continue. She may be ignorant of many things; but even she knew that one did not rush this King.

"Aria and I need to talk to you about the ceremony that is going to occur today before your bonding ceremony."

"What ceremony?" she asked warily.

"A recognition ceremony." Aria said snuggling closer to her husband.

"In our culture, before a couple can bond, they both have to have had a recognition ceremony acknowledging their place in society. Usually this involves the person's family such as when the parents introduce the child as an adult." Mica explained.

Kat went still as the implications of what he was saying hit home.

"I see. And if I don't have this ceremony, you are saying that I can't get married?"

Aria reluctantly nodded.

"Then we have a problem. My father is dead and my mother..." she trailed off as anger filled her. How was she to explain that her mother had disowned her when she was a child?

"I know about your mother, Katrina. What we have in mind is to have another one of your close relatives introduce you and acknowledge you." Aria explained.

"Who?"

"Me." Jason said as he approached her.

"Gramps. I..." Kat said confused. She was still so terribly hurt about him not stopping her torment as a child. Did she dare put her future in his hands?

"Let me explain something to you, Kitty. I have no other grandchildren. You are it. I don't ever want you to doubt that I love you. I wish I could have done something different. But sometimes one has to let the child go and possibly get hurt. Even when every nerve inside screams to shelter and protect the child from all harm."

"There is a difference here, Gramps. I was only a child. I was 7 years old when I was sent off to ITS. I shouldn't have been subject to that horror."

"I know, Kitty. I can't do anything about it now. Just to say that I am sorry that it happened. Will you ever be able to forgive me?", he asked. "I would love to be able to present you at your Recognition ceremony."

Kat studied him. He had aged since she had left Earth. He seemed to be standing in front of her defeated. She didn't think she would have ever seen him in this abject state. She thought for a moment. Was the past really worth ruining any future relationship with him? One day she and Charlie would probably be blessed with children - his great-grandchildren. No, she couldn't deny him for this was his future, she realized.

"You can, Gramps." she started. Jason's face lit up with hope. "I forgive you, Gramps. But I want you to do something for me."

"What?" Jason asked waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"I want you to go back to Earth and make sure nothing like what happened to me ever happens to another child."

"I will," he vowed, standing in front of her uncertainly.

Kat stood and walked over to him.

"I love you, Gramps. I sure the hell have missed you." She wrapped her arms around him.

"I love you too, Kitty." He whispered, tears evident in his blue eyes, as he returned her hug.

It was only an hour later that Kat stood next to her grandfather as Mica and Aria walked across the stage that stood in the middle of the amphitheater. Nerves jumped around in her stomach, but she stood still and erect.

"Relax, Kitty." Jason whispered next to her.

A cheer rose from the crowd as Mica approached the podium that was set up in the center of the stage.

"Thank you for your warm welcome, People of Areseric. I want to thank all the people that took the time out of their busy lives to make this Renewal Festival what it is. King Charles, your people have outdone themselves this year. Both my wife and I are simply in awe of their obvious efforts to make this festival memorable. We couldn't have picked a better or more suitable place for the Transferal of Power."

The crowd roared their approval. It was quite a 'coup' for Areseric to be chosen to witness the Transferal of Power. It had always been held in Trila in the past. Mica waited for the crowd noise to die down.

"But before we graciously step down and hand the reins over to our son and his beautiful wife, we have one last duty that we would like to perform." Mica said as Aria joined him at the podium. She smiled before she spoke.