Meadows of Heaven (2/23)
Chapter 2
Corporal Maggie Gyllenhaal had just started unpacking her equipment when Commander Morgan's team broke through the brush, sans the man himself and Jensen - Lieutenant Ackles. Ackles wasn't anything like she'd expected him to be and more importantly, he was not a walking Sex Corps stereotype. She'd worried about that at first, not understanding how the Corps could want to draft her brother as part of their ranks. The only time she'd seen evidence of Jensen's calling was when he'd asked Jeff to put that leather collar on him. Then, with his eyes lowered and full lips pouted, Maggie could see the sensual creature that lurked beneath his brisk, no-nonsense shell.
Jensen had asked for her presence on this mission, and she still didn't know why. She'd been assigned to the Mercury, not the reclamation project. This was her first away team mission ever, and she promised herself she'd outshine any other tech the project had ever had. She'd repay Jensen's faith in her that way, by doing her job.
"Whitfield, report!" Lieutenant Commander Sterling Brown snapped, stalking across the base camp slowly being assembled in the clearing. Morgan had left Brown in charge, and Maggie had to admit she found the commander a bit intimidating.
"Sir." Whitfield stood at attention. The entire camp had gone quiet, waiting to hear what he had to say. "When we arrived at our destination only Commander Morgan and Lieutenant Ackles were permitted to enter. Morgan told us to return to camp."
Maggie bit her lip at that news, how the team had shrunk to only Ackles and Morgan. They would be without any backup, forced into roles they had no idea how to act out. She knew Ackles had gone into far more dangerous situations, into the Confederation itself. Even though the citizens of this planet were an unknown variable, they hadn't killed anyone yet and seemed willing to talk first. That was far more than she could say for the Confed.
"He reported in with Captain Devine, sir," the other Lieutenant - Caroline Chikezie - put in when Whitfield had finished.
Brown shook his head. "Damn fool. All right, I want a team on standby camped just outside the city. If Morgan calls for backup we're not going to be far." He whirled around, "The rest of you, get back to work!"
Maggie put her head down and continued unpacking her equipment. Others moved past her, carrying the tent that would serve as the barracks for all of them. She felt a thrill of excitement thrum through her, eager to get to work and prove herself.
***
Jensen followed Jeff, a pace or two behind and to the left a bit, the way a good subordinate should, although he had no idea about the rules of this place, how submissives were supposed to act. For all he knew, he should be on his knees and crawling behind his master. Well, mistakes had to be expected, it was how he dealt with them that would determine the success or failure of this mission.
They passed through the gate and the force field mentioned in the reports, the one that stripped them of weapons. It did so again this time, although Jensen hadn't brought one, expecting this. He watched, amazed, as Jeff's laser pistol just hovered away from his body and was snatched up by some invisible force. Incredible, the UP had no technology that could do that, separate weapons from a man without even a search first.
Inside, they stepped onto patterned streets, something like cobblestone, but not, it felt too soft under Jensen's boots. However the faux stone melted into a mosaic, a pattern of rich colors, bold blue and dark green, leading the way into the heart of the city. At the end of this main road, however, a blood red coach waited for them.
"It's one of the trams," Jeff said, looking around. "Last time we were met with a score of guards."
Jensen regarded the tram: short, rectangular, without any wheels or propulsion system he could make out, and large oblong windows all along the side. "Maybe it's a show of good faith," he said, not specifying on whose part. "Trust."
Jeff nodded. "Stay close. I don't like the quiet."
"Yes, sir," Jensen said, inching forward until their shoulders touched. He took comfort in the physical contact as they boarded the tram.
He wasn't sure what to expect, maybe tiny bucket seats like most of the public transportation he'd ever been on, but certainly not the plush couches along the windows, and more of that soft floor in the center. Jensen waited until Jeff took a seat, then knelt at his feet. The windows were so huge that he could see out, even from this angle.
Jeff made a strangled noise in his throat at Jensen's action, as if he had forgotten what they needed to do here. Jensen shot him a sharp look, Jeff couldn't forget he was the master here, and Jensen his to command. Unless, Jensen thought, watching as Jeff swallowed hard, the way his pupils dilated, Jeff hadn't forgotten at all, he'd just hadn't learned to school his own reactions to it.
Jensen hid a smile and turned his attention to the windows, startled to see they had already taken to the air. He couldn't feel the motion of the tram at all, which made him slightly nauseous, to watch the buildings speeding by. They glided in a curving arc, ducking beneath bridges and around towers. The deep blue of the ocean suddenly became visible, a rippling backdrop as they came upon the golden palace.
"Wow," Jensen whispered.
Jeff chuckled at his exclamation. "It's something else," he agreed.
The tram drew closer to the palace, the tallest tower in the entire city, docking along a good-sized terrace decorated with ivy and other climbing plants. A man waited for them, a guard by his uniform, Jensen guessed, based on the images he had seen of the first mission, the gold lined armor and laced up sandals.
"Come," Jeff ordered, leading the way out of the tram and onto the ledge. Jensen stood to follow, but he dropped to his knees again when the guard drew forward to speak with them.
"Commander Morgan?" the guard said. "I am Guard Ian."
"I remember you," Jeff said slowly.
"Yes." Ian looked away, his eyes only flickering quickly over Jensen. "The queen is busy at the moment, but she has asked Duchess Claudia to greet you."
Jeff nodded, as if he knew what that meant. "Of course."
"If you will follow me." Ian turned and led the way through two glass doors.
Jensen stayed close to Jeff, eyes lowered as proper, but he caught as much as he could out of the corner of his gaze, noting the rich carpeting, the paneled walls and artfully arranged furniture.
"Duchess, I present Commander Morgan and his sub," Ian said.
The duchess sat on a large lounger, wearing a low cut gown of pale silk that flowed around her as she rose to greet them. A sub knelt at her feet, a man nude but for a skirt of leather tied around his waist and a red leather collar at his throat. Jensen regarded him carefully, taking note of his posture and gaze, remembering it for later.
"Commander. What an odd title," the duchess mused as she grew closer. Her dark hair flowed in thick curls down her back. "Well, you've been the talk of the city, Commander Morgan."
"All good, I hope," Jeff said lightly.
Luckily she laughed. "Well, that remains to be seen. I am Claudia, Duchess of the Black District. This is my sub, Misha, whom I believe you've already met."
Oh, fuck, Jensen thought. That was the sub who had been so insulted by Dr. Johnson, and caused the two men to be taken as hostages. To his surprise, Misha looked up at his name and gave Jensen a smile and a wink out of amazing cornflower blue eyes. Jensen looked away, embarrassed at being caught staring.
Jeff nodded in Misha's direction. "And this is my sub, Jensen."
She stepped forward and touched Jensen's chin, forcing his head up. He tried not to look at her directly, that would be rude, but she searched out his eyes purposely and gasped. "His eyes . . . I've never seen such a color before."
His heart pounded hard against his chest and Jensen wondered if the game had ended before it had even begun. They had guessed that eye color had something to do with how subs were chosen on 328, based on the men who had been taken as hostages, the only members of the party with blue eyes. But no one was sure what Jensen's green eyes would signify.
"Yes," Jeff agreed, "they are spectacular aren't they?"
Jensen could feel the color rising in his cheeks at the praise.
"Beautiful," Claudia granted, letting go of Jensen and stepping back. "I apologize for touching your property Commander, I had to be sure . . ." She shook her head. "Curious. We will have so many questions for you."
"I look forward to them," Jeff said.
Claudia nodded. "The queen has given you a suite for your use while you stay and you are invited to formal dinner tonight. I have instructed Misha to tutor you in the proper way to behave." She smiled. "If you will have him."
Jeff swallowed before replying. "I have no objections."
"Misha."
"Mistress," he replied, pushing himself to his feet gracefully.
"Show them to their rooms and some of the palace. I think the first order of business is some new attire." Claudia gave their uniforms a disdainful look. "You may escort them to dinner as well, I will wait for you there."
"Yes, Mistress," he said with a little bow.
She ruffled a hand through his hair with another smile on her face, one solely for him. "I will see you this evening then, Commander."
"Duchess," Jeff said.
And then they were left alone with Misha.
***
Well, Jeff thought, there were certainly more awkward things. Like the time he first met Misha and the sub had stripped and offered his body to Jeff's entire team. Yeah, it would be hard to top that. Having to deal with Misha now, after that, that came pretty darn close though.
Especially when Misha leveled those huge blue eyes on Jeff. Like so many of the citizens of 328, Misha had that same otherworldly beauty. Funny, Jeff thought, Jensen had that same quality. He should fit in here at least. Jeff worried more about himself, how he was supposed to prove himself a worthy master when he wasn't even sure what that meant.
"If you will follow me," Misha said politely. "I will show you to your rooms." He led them down the hall and to a set of doors more like the doors Jeff was used to, tall and rectangular, set flush with the wall. "If you touch the panel next to the lift," Misha explained, doing so. "You will call the next car."
The doors opened revealing an elevator with glass walls that looked out over the city. Misha stepped aside and motioned for Jeff to precede him. When he did Misha and Jensen exchanged looks, but entered at the same time, Misha wearing a little smirk before turning back to Jeff. "Your suite is on the green floor. Just touch the wall and think of your location."
As Misha did so, the doors rippled shut, more of that odd tech. Nothing slid or operated on hinges here, Jeff thought, everything flowed like solid water.
"How does it read your thoughts?" Jensen asked, staring at the panel instead of appreciating the view through the glass.
"The spirit of Harmony knows all of our hearts," Misha said, as if it should be obvious.
"Ok, wait, stop right there." Jeff held up his hand. He vaguely remembered Ian saying something like that when Jeff's team had first encountered the guard. "Who's Harmony?"
Misha turned that wide-eyed gaze on him. "Harmony is the city," he said.
Finally, an answer. But what an answer! Jeff looked out at the golden spires and towers. How could a city have a spirit? Was it controlled by one central computer? He didn't know of any computer that could read someone's mind, not in the way these people casually used their technology.
Misha showed them to their quarters - a rich suite of rooms consisting of: a sitting area with plush couches, a desk and thick tapestries along the walls; a playroom, as Misha called it, with wooden planks at strategic places, and a trunk to fill with toys; a bedroom with the largest bed Jeff had ever seen and bathroom with a sunken tub.
"If this is what you give to guests what are the queen's rooms like?" Jeff blurted in awe at the sight of the bedroom. He ignored the playroom for now. With luck they wouldn't have to use it at all.
Jensen set down his pack on the side of the bed. "Sir, should I put the equipment in the playroom?"
Equipment? Jeff blinked, not sure what Jensen meant, but belatedly realized he meant the sex toys he had showed Jeff back on the Mercury. Jensen had brought them with him? What, did he think they had a shortage of them on 328?
"You brought your own?" Misha asked, curious. "May I see? I am curious how different you are in that respect."
"Knock yourselves out," Jeff said, dropping his own pack on the bed. His had spare clothing, rations, a first aid kit and the regulation survival kit required for off-planet missions. He wondered if Jensen had brought any of that or ditched it in favor of toys. Well, the toys had to be part of Jensen's standard mission kit, Jeff thought.
"I don't know," Jensen began, tugging his pack open and pulling out several items. "what is acceptable here. You'll be our guide, won't you?" He turned those fluttering eyelashes on Misha who fell for them just like Jeff had.
"Oh, of course," Misha said. "That's what my mistress wanted, so you know how to behave properly."
"Not like we behaved before, you mean," Jeff said dryly.
Misha lowered his eyes as he spoke, "It is not very polite to threaten to take a sub from his mistress."
Jeff snorted. That was one way of putting it! He was not going to explain to this willing sub that Johnson thought Misha to be an unwilling slave. Thinking of Johnson led him to ask, "Do you know where they've taken my people? The man who insulted you and the other?"
Misha looked up from his perusal of Jensen's sex toy collection. "My mistress said they had been taken to the Royal Schola for training."
"Training," Jeff repeated dully. "As subs?"
"Of course." Misha touched something in the pile of sex toys. "That would be acceptable to wear to a play party, or a formal dinner with entertainment."
Jeff looked over and could only make out some scraps of leather. "That a . . . the harness?" he reminded himself to not sound incredulous at the last moment. He was supposed to be a regular user of all these tricks in Jensen's bag.
Jensen gave him a smile. "Yes. I take care of all the equipment," he said to Misha as if explaining to him, but Jeff knew damn well it was directed towards him. "What else should I wear? I guess our uniforms are too restricting?"
Misha wrinkled his nose. "They are so unfashionable. You would bring down the entire mood of dinner. Oh, that reminds me, I need to take you to the clothier. Otherwise you won't have anything better for dinner. Come, you may leave your things here. These rooms are yours, no one will disturb them."
Misha led them back to the lift, down to nearly the bottom levels, where, he explained, blocks of rooms were given to vendors who provided services to the Royal family, like the clothier. "There's also a leatherworker, and a collar master. And a discipline master, but I've heard the queen never uses him," Misha chatted as they walked, and Jeff kept his ears open, hoping that Jensen understood more of this than he did.
"Dom Traci?" Misha called as they entered.
"One moment, luv!" a feminine voice called before she made an appearance, a tall slim woman with a mass of wavy dark hair and a friendly smile dressed in the same bright colors Jeff had seen from everyone in Harmony.
"Oh, Sub Misha, what a treasure to see you. Are these your mistress's guests?"
Misha bowed slightly in her direction. "They are guests of the queen. I have been given the honor of teaching them about our ways."
"Well, of course." She reached out and patted his cheek. "Who else? Now," she turned her attention towards Jeff and Jensen. "They don't believe in color where you're from?"
"These are our uniforms," Jensen explained.
"Hmmm," she frowned. "Strange for a sub and dom to dress that much alike. Well, I am more than happy to oblige. Has the queen set up accounts for them?"
"Oh, I don't know," Misha said. "I didn't ask."
"Accounts?" Jeff asked, worried they had forgotten something else.
"Of course. My services aren't free you know." Dom Traci gave him a wink. "But we can get started, I'm sure the account will be there when I look. Would you like to go first? Or do you wish to dress your sub first?"
"Let Jensen go first," Jeff said, pretending not to see the glare Jensen threw his way.
Traci asked Jensen to step on a pedestal and hold his arms slightly out from his body. A ring of light surrounded him, tracing the lines of his body before disappearing back into the base.
"There, I have your measurements," Traci said. "Hmm. I think your sub would look best in green, don't you?"
"I suppose," Jeff said. He didn't know how much interest he needed to take in dressing Jensen. Would it look bad if he didn't care so much?
"Of course, the best subs look good in very little at all." She grinned at him. "If you don't have a preference, I'll have a selection delivered to your rooms, later."
Thank the stars, Jeff thought. The last thing he wanted to do was spend time picking out clothes when they needed to worry about other things - like rescuing Tappen and Johnson, and somehow getting the queen to agree to a UP base on her planet. "Thank you," he told her.
After Jeff's turn on the platform, Misha took them to the public baths. "The best place," he said "to refresh yourselves from your journey."
"And learn how to behave in front of others," Jensen said in a low undertone.
Yes, Jeff thought, it was time to start acting like Jensen's dom.
***
Jensen wondered if Jeff could do this. They hadn't really had to act in role so far, nothing had been any different than Jeff acting like a commanding officer. But now, in these public baths, Jensen worried Jeff wouldn't be able to be convincing in front of others.
"This is my favorite place," Misha confided to Jensen in a soft tone as they stripped in the small room before entering the baths. "My mistress has bound me here many times."
"She isn't . . ." Jensen bit his lip, needing to phrase this delicately. "Possessive? About others using you?"
Misha shot him a look. "I'm a red-collar. You don't have those where you come from?"
Jensen shook his head. "I don't know what that means."
"I've been trained to share my body with many others," Misha explained, he shot a look over towards Jeff, who was still unlacing his boots, before moving closer to whisper to Jensen. "I chose to take the training when I was very young. It's rare, but I just," he shrugged, "I needed it."
"You like it," Jensen said, realizing he spoke before he thought. At the blush on Misha's cheeks, he realized he might have hit a nerve. "I'm sorry," he apologized quickly.
"No need," Misha said. "Few of the other subs understand. They think me little more than a tavern boy." He snorted. "Come, let me show you the baths."
He led Jensen through into the steaming room. More of the mosaic tile here, this time in tiny intricate patterns along the floor, walls, and bases of fountains that poured water over eager bathers. Misha showed him a set of shackles over a bench set into one of these fountains. "My mistress chained me here once." He went into the position, putting his hands on the chains and bending over, giving Jensen a pretty view. "Let me be used for an entire afternoon."
Jensen shivered at the thought of being tied down and left for anyone to take advantage of. He couldn't imagine Jeff doing the same, standing back and watching as male after male plowed into Jensen's ass, while he hung onto the chains, helpless to prevent it.
Someone whistled and Jensen came back to himself abruptly, realizing he was half-hard in the baths. He ducked under a rush of flowing water, wetting his hair and covering, he hoped, the red flush rising in his body.
The whistler asked Misha if he were up for grabs and Misha flirted for a moment or two before admitting he was busy with showing around the queen's guests. Jeff finally entered the baths at that moment.
He stalked into that room like he owned the place, with a commanding stride and a smoldering gaze only for Jensen. Jeff's cock curved against his thigh and thickened as he drew closer. Jensen stepped out of the spray of the shower, aware of the water beading on his skin, his hair dripping down his forehead.
When Jeff reached him, he took hold of Jensen's collar and pulled him forward, till they were nose to nose. "Turn around and brace yourself on the tile," Jeff all but growled.
Jensen swallowed, his dick filling just at the sound of Jeff's voice. "Yes, sir," he gasped as Jeff let him go. He turned, bending over as Misha had done before, finding handholds that wouldn't slip and spread his legs.
A slap against his ass had him starting. "Slut," Jeff said, but it sounded affectionate.
"There are several kinds of oil for your use." Misha was still trying to be helpful.
Jensen bit his lip to keep from groaning. He bowed his head, aware of the crowd that drew around them, eager to watch this claiming. Shivering, he lowered his lashes and tried to see out of the corner of his eye, to track exactly what Jeff was doing back there.
And then warm water rained down against his back, running down his buttocks and onto the tiled floor. Jeff had moved one of the showerheads, so that Jensen was under the flow again, surrounded by running water as Jeff probed between his ass cheeks.
"Please," Jensen gasped. This was his trade, he knew how to make it look good, how to get their audience caught up. Hopefully word of this would get back to the queen, and Jeff would be one step closer to proving his mastery.
Another slap against his ass, followed by Jeff's hand, warm and caressing. "We're on my timetable, boy."
Jensen shivered, throwing his head back and gasping. Slowly, almost too slowly, Jeff probed his entrance, slicking him with some oil, hopefully it wouldn't wash away from the constant water. Then, as the head of his cock pressed against Jensen, Jeff leaned forward, one hand on the wall next to Jensen's as he ordered, "Beg me now."
He groaned. "Please, sir," he begged. "Fuck me, I need to feel you in me, please!"
"Do you deserve it?" Jeff asked, pushing forward just a little bit, but still nowhere near enough.
"No," Jensen gasped out. "But take me anyway!"
Jeff let out a little chuckle, but he moved, finally, sheathing himself fully inside Jensen's body. Jensen curled his fingers tightly, bracing himself further against the fullness inside him. He could feel Jeff everywhere, inside and around him, the shower pouring over both of them. And then Jeff started to move and Jensen moaned at the slip and slide of it.
"Please," he begged again, and Jeff moved faster, his hips rolling against Jensen, who tilted his ass back to meet him.
Jensen struggled to hold back, knowing he could not come before Jeff gave him permission. But he wanted to, badly, so hard under the watchful gaze of their audience and Misha, who stayed near by. Jensen wanted to warn Jeff, but they didn't have a hand signal for that.
And just when he thought he couldn't stand it any longer, Jeff leaned down again and gasped out "come" before clamping his teeth down on Jensen's shoulder.
Jensen yelled out in shock, but that didn't stop him from coming in hot pulsing waves against Jeff's hand.
Jeff pulled out, slowly, and Jensen could feel the slickness inside him. "Easy," Jeff said, helping him ease off of the wall and onto his knees.
"Let me bathe you, sir." Jensen asked, taking a handful of the thick soap available from pumps throughout the baths. It smelled like cedar and smoke and would compliment Jeff's natural scent perfectly.
Jeff swallowed, his eyes dark. "Go ahead."
They got a few comments from the crowd around them, but most dispersed as Jensen soaped up Jeff's body, running his hands over tight muscles and smooth skin. As he did Jeff's back, he whispered in his ear, "Good idea." Hell, it had been a fucking fantastic idea. Jensen felt boneless and well-used, and it was only the first day. If the bath had been this invigorating, he could not wait to see what dinner had in store for them both.
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16 | Chapter 17 | Chapter 18 | Chapter 19 | Chapter 20 | Chapter 21 | Chapter 22 | Epilogue