Queen's Ransom: The Golden Bulls of Minos Read online

  Disher's were some of the most arrogant beings in the universe, certain every other lifeform but their own was inferior and little more than a bug on the toe of their expensive shoes.

  They were also known as Shitter's, because they shit three times more waste than the food they consumed.

  The Pergonae VIII who followed the shitter looked positively dowdy in comparison. Her species was easily recognizable, with enormous bat-like ears, no hair, and shining geometric tattoos on her face.

  Pergonae were known to create insanely complex computer systems that made up the majority of all financial security for half the credit unions in the galaxy. Smart. Super smart. A contender Jalia made a mental note to keep a close eye on.

  With skin black as the vacuum of space, patches of white here and there in no discernible pattern, horns protruding from her temples and curling back like a crown over her dark blue hair, the last of Jalia's competition was a Nirian.

  The Nirian government believed all members of society should be equal, and actively redistributed wealth from the rich to the poor. Arguably, the most progressive people in the galaxy

  Jalia, Croft, and Tom were the only humans present in a gaggle of aliens, and while Jalia knew how to take care of herself, she could see now why there was a 'no revenge or war' clause in the contract. One punch from the Duggan and Jalia was a goner.

  Jalia had spent her life playing games, taking risks, gambling she could beat the odds, and subsequently, she hadn't lost a game in twenty years.

  The stakes had never been higher, and her life hadn't ever been on the line, but she was confident in her abilities.

  "No risk, no reward," she told herself, and began the climb.

  Why were there so many farking stairs?

  CHAPTER TWO

  Dhega slowly looked away from the females currently sitting at his private dining table and pinned Nivir with a stare so harsh, anyone else would have been running.

  "What have you done?" he snarled.

  "You said the last batch wasn't ferocious enough and none so far have progressed past the Thorns, so..." Nivir waved his hand at the mixed group as if the gesture explained everything.

  Dhega snorted an aggravated breath, forcing himself to give the females his attention.

  Dhega had been given their details and committed them to memory, but the reality before him was markedly different than the report made to him by Nivir.

  To have a Duggan as his queen would offer him access to a horde of military forces should Minos ever come under attack.

  Axtasusa was a fertile female, and while their species was compatible for breeding, the sight of her actually made Dhega's cock shrivel.

  No military force in the world would be able to make the Duggan pleasing to look upon.

  He quickly moved on to the Chentian Princess, Akeyko. According to the information Nivir had gathered, Princess Akeyko was clever, wealthy, and despite her petite figure, was said to often perform executions on her father's behalf.

  Dhega tried to envision the dainty princess covered in blood, and surprisingly, he didn't find it too difficult. A vicious and bloodthirsty queen Akeyko might be, there was no way Dhega could breed with her and not break her.

  The female surrounded by a small army of robotic servants must be Princess Cockinti. Dhega could picture her seated beside him on a smaller throne, demanding a bigger one in the same arrogant tone she was demanding more food from her drones.

  Her shrill voice grated on his nerves already. A lifetime with such a female? He shuddered at the prospect.

  Prima Rynathi had enormous ears, no hair, and gold tattoos on her face. She was physically appealing enough, strangely so, and if she won her way through all nine Labyrinths, he would have an ally to bring his people forward into an advanced technological age.

  He wanted that for his people. Minos was too isolated, too behind the times, vulnerable as babes should their nebula someday fail to protect them. A queen with access to such technology was ideal, even if she was oddly formed.

  Seated beside the Prima was a Nirian Elite, Lady Entayta. Entayta had experience in matters of state, and with her horns and patchwork skin, Dhega found her to be the most like his species.

  Their offspring would be attractive and well educated, however, there was something about the female that put him off and he couldn't say what it was.

  His final prospective bride sat closest to his end of the table. She had no horns, no fangs, no claws, no scales or hard plates of bone to be seen beneath the sun-kissed smoothness of her skin. Not even a tail.

  She wore a vibrant orange gown that caressed her body and swirled around her feet with every step. The simmering fabric left her entire back exposed, only the thinnest of strings holding it up on her elegant shoulders.

  In contrast, her hair was as pink as the first rays of dawn. Somehow, she managed to be offensively vibrant and captivating all at once.

  Her name was Marchesa Jalia, a human, her royal rank unfamiliar to him. He'd never seen or heard of a human before, yet the more he lingered on the generous curves of her body, the more his cock hardened with desire.

  "So?" Nivir prompted hopefully.

  Dhega's fantasies of the human on her hands and knees in front of him, eagerly waiting for him to mount her was interrupted when the Duggan released a belch loud enough to rattle the glasses on the table.

  "You traded physically appealing, for...this?"

  "Ah ah ah!" Nivir tisked, waggling a finger at him that was at risk of being broken.

  "You demanded I base my choices on intelligence, ferocity, cunning, and future alliances. Not physical appearance. All six of these females have the qualities you asked for.

  “Except maybe the human. She looks nothing like what I expected and doesn't appear to be especially ferocious, or even mildly confrontational."

  Marchesa Jalia's shockingly pink hair swung forward as she leaped to her feet and shook her fist at the Chentian.

  "Say that again, you pointy-eared bitch, and I'll sneeze on you after I tit punch the Shitter."

  Nivir's brows shot up in surprise. "Perhaps I spoke too soon."

  The Chentian cringed back into her seat, while the purple-skinned Disher threw a piece of bread at the Marchesa. Dhega hummed thoughtfully, watching the drama begin to unfold.

  "My name is Cockinti, bottom feeder!"

  "Cockinti?" the human drawled mockingly, "Sweetheart, I'd stick to Shitter if I were you. Cockinti...Stars, your parents must hate you."

  While the Nirian and Pergonae both tittered with amusement, the Duggan sprayed her side of the table with half-eaten food as she brayed and pointed a thick finger at the Shitter.

  "Bull's balls," Dhega cursed in revulsion, dragging his hand down his face.

  "Let me introduce you to your prospective brides, my king." Nivir chortled, dancing out of range when Dhega would have cuffed him. "Ladies, excuse me. May I present to you, his majesty, King Dhega of Minos."

  Dhega decided to rethink Nivir's position as captain of his guard. Clearly, he had begun to enjoy this assignment far too much and was not taking the future of Dhega's monarchy seriously.

  Hissing out a breath, Dhega squared his shoulders and forced himself forward, noting all six females turned to give him their attention, but of all those gazes, the most powerful punch of sensation came from meeting the pale pink eyes of the human.

  Though she didn't take her gaze from him, the Marchesa was the first to stand and respectfully dip her head.

  It wasn't fascination or fear that made her do this; she was sizing him up, deciding if it was safe to lower her eyes.

  She waited until he seated himself before returning to her chair, the light glinting off a large iridescent shape in the center of her forehead.

  Dhega had to squint a little to see the upturned crescent moon. He wondered if it was some sort of decoration or identifying mark of her royal house.

  "I trust all of you have found your quarters sufficient," Dhega finally stat
ed gruffly, not for the first time wondering if he'd made a grave error in judgment by opening this contest to outsiders.

  All at once the females began to claim they were satisfied with their accommodations, heaping praises on his world, his palace, himself.

  All, except the human.

  The little Marchesa made faces at her plate and rolled her eyes in exasperation as Cockinti's patently false appreciation grew in volume as she tried to make her whiny voice heard above the rest.

  "Marchesa Jalia, nothing to say?" he called, causing her to freeze with her fork at the threshold of her plump lips.

  He watched her politely chew and swallow before answering, meeting his stare head on without shyness or uncertainty.

  "No, your majesty."

  "No?"

  Her obscenely pink eyebrow arched sardonically. "I'm afraid I don't speak sycophant."

  Against his wishes, Dhega found himself fighting a smile. "Excellent. Your quarters are...?"

  The Marchesa gave a pensive frown, taking a moment to think before she spoke, her answer every bit as candid as before.

  "Excessively opulent. I confess the view is my favorite part but having spent the majority of my life surrounded by the silence of space, the sound of the ocean is loud. Not unpleasantly so, just different."

  "Well, I thought it was divine!" Princess Akeyko shrilled fervently.

  "Really?" Jalia murmured, taking a sip from her delicate cup. "I was certain I heard your ear-piercing shrieks from across the city as you verbally ripped the hide from your attendant about the...what was it? Oh yes, the excessive moonlight keeping you awake. It sounded like quite the tantrum."

  "You misheard. Little wonder with such tiny ears." Akeyko hissed wickedly.

  Jalia seemed unimpressed by the tiny princess's venom, leaning forward to circle her fork in Akeyko's general direction.

  "I've been curious, princess. How do you hear anyone speak with so much hair growing out of yours?"

  Axtasusa once again brayed and sprayed, which made the others lean back to stay out of the line of fire. Safe at the opposite end of the table, Jalia shot the unsightly female a saucy wink.

  Akeyko sucked in a shaky breath, her childlike face turning red with outrage, murderous intent shining obviously in her dark gaze.

  "Silence!" he barked, making all but Axtasusa and Jalia jump and startle with the volume. Axtasusa barely blinked, Jalia sighed and returned to picking at her food.

  "You all know why you are here; tomorrow will see the second challenge in your contest to solve the Minoan Labyrinths.

  "All reigning kings and queens who have come before were required to complete the tasks to prove themselves worthy to rule. My queen will do no less.

  “Twelve royal females have come before you, and all have tried or died. Thus far only one of you has successfully solved the first challenge. The Maze of Stars."

  It was apparent none of his prospective brides had any idea what he was talking about, but Jalia was the only one who didn't raise her voice to make an excuse as to her ignorance.

  She simply looked thoughtful, and perhaps a little irked. He wondered why.

  "What Labyrinth? Where? Why did no one tell us we were expected to begin the competition upon our immediate arrival?" Cockinti demanded petulantly.

  From the folds of his robe, Dhega produced a small, ten-pointed star. It had begun as a much larger shaped object, one placed in each of the women's quarters, but with the correct manipulation, the individual points twisted and clicked into a single solid piece small enough to fit in the palm of his hand.

  "You were told, Princess Cockinti. Did you not read the contractual agreement before signing it?" he purred dangerously.

  Axtasusa snorted, violently elbowing one of Cockinti's robots when it got to close to her.

  It collapsed with a clang, a sizeable dent in the otherwise smooth surface. "Everyone knows Disher's can't read. Their bots do it for them. I thought that thing was some kind of ornament."

  Dhega hummed, turning to offer the star to Jalia. "The Marchesa thought otherwise."

  She plucked it from his palm with a quick smile, rolling the star between her fingers with a shrug. "It was an enjoyable way to quiet my thoughts enough to sleep."

  He waved his hand when she offered it back to him. "It belongs to you now. Each of you has agreed to attempt to solve the Labyrinths of Minos. The only rules of the game are that you solve the labyrinths without outside assistance.

  "You will have no attendants, no maps or devices of any kind to aid you in navigation. Each morning you will be presented with a new set of clothing and searched.

  “If you do not comply with the rules, you will be executed without mercy. You are all present; therefore, you will not claim ignorance later should you be caught having disobeyed my commands. Am I understood?"

  Dhega looked to each in turn and saw fear on a few of their faces, a hint of respect in others, and absolutely no inkling into what the Marchesa thought of his decree.

  "Good. You may finish your meal in peace; I will see all of you tomorrow at the beginning of the next labyrinth."

  *****

  "So, what was he like?"

  Croft lounged on the other side of her dressing screen, his bare feet visible and bouncing at the end while she lay naked on the other side, basking in the sunlight and studying the winding whorls and twists of the labyrinth painted on the flagstones below.

  It was as beautiful as it was intricate, and her thoughts were every bit as twisted.

  "Big. Imposing. Not what I thought. I've met all manner of different kinds of men, from UC chancellors to murderers. None of them frightened me," she admitted softly, setting her chin on her folded arms as she thought back on every single moment spent in the presence of his majesty, the King of Minos.

  Based on his reputation alone, Jalia had been expecting an unreasonable, demanding, crazed brute possibly covered in blood wearing the bones of his enemies around his neck.

  Not a majestic, towering male with a head of glorious golden-brown hair. He was crowned with a beautiful pair of bone white horns, capped and ringed in gold, as thick as her arm at his skull, tapering to deadly points.

  Even without the horns, Dhega was taller and broader than any man or male she had ever encountered. His physical presence was diminutive compared to the power of his energetic presence, the magnetism of his deep brown eyes, the punch of his stare, the cruelty in his gaze...

  Once Jalia had gotten over staring at his horns and memorizing the shape of his face, the hard angle of his jaw, the wide flare of his nose and thick, generous lips, she had felt entirely transparent beneath his focused attention. Her choice to be as colorful and vibrant as possible felt like a mistake.

  She had certainly stood out. Again and again, the king's gaze had fallen on her skeptically.

  Raking over her and darting to the other females to compare them, leaving her to wonder if he found her lacking.

  "He frightened you?" Croft guffawed like such a thing was absurd.

  None of the others, the worst of the worst, the beauty of beauties, richest of the rich...not a single one had held her attention past what she could win from them.

  Not a single one made her heart race or her skin heat, or struggle to maintain her game face.

  King Dhega was dangerous because she liked him.

  She liked the way he scowled. She liked the deep rumble of his voice. She liked his horns and the small jeweled ring which pierced his nose and rested at the indented apex of his beautiful mouth.

  She liked the way he wore his loose white trousers low on his hips and the floor length, sleeveless robe embroidered with labyrinthine patterns that put his muscular chest and arms on display.

  She especially liked the way he sat at a regal angle in his great chair at the table. Sprawled with his legs spread wide, certain he was master of all he surveyed.

  "Yes."

  Croft made an unconcerned sound, as though he hadn't a care in the world. Bu
t then, he probably didn't. "What about the other contenders?"

  "The Pergonae and the Nirian could pose a problem. The Duggan I expect will attempt to kill us all, the Chentian..."

  A low humming sound made Jalia glance up and shake her head before she turned over onto her back to face the intruder hovering above her.

  "The Shitter is lazy. She won't make it past the next Labyrinth. Be a dear and inform the guard at our door Princess Cocktease is utilizing her drones to spy on us."

  Playing his part to the letter, Croft leaped to his feet and ran for the door, taking pleasure it sounded like in berating the guards for the invasion of his mistress's privacy.

  Jalia smiled as she lay basking in the warm sun, making sure Cockinti got a good long look.

  It was music to her ears not long later, to hear the spoiled bitch screaming about her drones. "You cannot take those! I have no other servants you fool! No, No, NO! Put that down you festering bag of meat! A single one of my beautiful drones cost more than your worthless..."

  The crash of metal and Cockinti's scream of horror made Jalia cackle with glee. She forgot to be nervous about what the labyrinth would bring tomorrow, enjoying the sounds of woe from someone who just learned they were going to have to wipe their own ass.

  Jalia stretched and hauled herself up, putting on the transparent robe left for her, peeking around the screen before venturing into what was her temporary bedroom.

  She ate her fill of the fresh fruit overflowing the bowl on the closest table, rinsed the heat from her skin in a real water shower, and let the air dry her skin before deciding to lie down.

  With the warm, gentle breeze and the sound of the crashing waves, Jalia fell asleep in the most comfortable bed she had ever lay on, under sheets softer than a whisper.

  CHAPTER THREE

  "What have you done to yourself?"

  Jalia looked up from lacing the soft soled shoes she had been given to find her potential future husband bearing down on her with a thunderous expression on his broad, handsome face.