War and Treachery

  Celestial Knight: Book Three

  Author: D. R. Rosier

  Copyright 2022. This is a work of fiction. Names, Characters, Places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two - Interlude

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine – Interlude

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Epilogue

  Afterword:

  About the Author

  Other erotic fantasies by D. R. Rosier:

  Non-erotic Fantasy titles:

  Book Description

  Prologue

  The hot steamy shower was just what she needed for her tensed muscles as she arched under the hot spray. The water hitting her long wavy dark brown hair and face and running in rivulets down the supple curves of her young body. She let out a soft sigh and bit her lip in worry, as she took in the scent of Dacen’s shampoo. She wished it was his scent she was smelling, but it was still a comfort, reminding her of the moments he’d held her so gently in his arms after they’d loved each other.

  The last four days had been a trial of worry, anger, fear and anxiety, as well as hatred and a burning desire to avenge her father’s and Christabel’s death. She’d put a few more things together, how changed celestial knights Vincent, Jace, and William were. She suspected Breanne was behind that change, using forbidden magics, and her father’s killers were just as much the victims as they were. She had a knack and specialization in mind magic too, and she knew what it could do for someone with no conscience. They were really dead already, and her vengeance would be empty by killing them.

  But not the traitors, the nobles still alive in the palace. All the loyalist nobles on or visiting the palace on Bright Star were dead, which had left her surrounded by nothing but enemies. Despite her thirst to avenge them, there was no way for her to do it alone, not against three celestial knights each of whom were her magical equal, and far more experienced in the ways of battle.

  So, she bided her time in the hope Dacen had won out against Breanne, and was on his way to her. Her illusion magic keeping her presence in the celestial knight wing hidden, as she used her old lover’s rooms. Her magic could cloak herself as well, so she’d been having to sneak to the kitchen at night, to gather food for the next day.

  The maid that showed up daily to dust against his possible return never noticed her magically concealed presence.

  She sighed in pleasure as she rinsed off her lustrous hair, she’d really needed this. She’d been alone with her thoughts, and in her mourning grief, fear, and rage, she had let herself go a little. The last thing she wanted was for Dacen to find her in such an unpresentable state, stinking and unwashed.

  She hadn’t just grieved. She suspected the conspiracy wasn’t as wide as it seemed, and she’d bet money on the fact the traitorous nobles present were the only ones that had turned against the royal family and started this insurrection.

  There had to be loyalists elsewhere in the kingdom. Goddess knew the kingdom was corrupt, not a perfect place in the least, but in a lot of ways the confederacy was worse. Their corruption was unaccountable, in various faceless government organizations. No one took responsibility for anything, and everything was ruled by committees and bloated government agencies.

  At least when a kingdom citizen bitched, they could point at her and her father. She believed that kept the corruption limited, and she would keep hard lines in mind when she was queen. If she tried to stamp out all corruption, she’d wind up arresting the entire aristocracy and they’d all overthrow her. A little graft and corruption was natural in the halls of power, a part of the human condition, but she would draw the line at abuse of the citizens, and thoughts of insurrection and treachery.

  If some taxes went missing, and lined a noble’s pockets, well she could let that go, as long as they were loyal in the end and when it truly mattered. As long as they weren’t abusing her subjects.

  Point being, she suspected she could find allies, if she could safely get off world. She could easily commandeer a ship, but she wasn’t sure enough about fleet loyalties to attempt it. The crown’s enemies had managed to subvert ground forces, perhaps they’d turned some of the fleet against the crown as well, despite their oaths of loyalty. She could also straight out subvert a ship with mind magic, and not the forbidden spells, but could she do that and teleport the ship to the FTL line before the three traitor knights converged on her?

  No, she’d only take that chance if, and only if, her Dacen didn’t make it back. Once they were together along with Riesa, they’d be a formidable trio of magic with Gia and Leanne to watch their backs. A quad, if Allison was there as well and had reunited with her crew, but she would have to judge that one’s loyalty first.

  That was her hope, just another day, maybe two. The third day, she’d have to seriously consider going it on her own, until she could reach allies on another world.

  She smirked as she heard an explosion and felt it vibrate the palace, even as she soaped her body. That had been happening more and more lately. The traitors were obviously arguing amongst themselves on who would take the throne, and some of those arguments were extending to violence between the factions.

  The insurgent guards had been united in their removal of the royal guards and loyalists, but after that they’d gone back to being the personal guards of the traitorous baron’s they were loyal to. All from separate factions, and the whole palace hovered on the edge of violence almost constantly.

  More the better, less to take out when Dacen returned to her. He had to return to her. She wouldn’t consider other options.

  She felt guilty at the thought, her father dead just four days, but she was also a very determined young woman that would make Dacen hers. She was queen now in all but name, already had the assumed authority if the old government could come back. The coronation was just a formality.

  In short, there was no one to tell her anymore, who she could take in her bed, or marry.

  Dacen would be hers.

  Her whole body tingled at the thought of it, because she would definitely be his as well. At least, in the bedroom, and in their private lives. She felt rather shameless admitting it to herself, but she loved being in his strong arms and feeling so safe, as he gave her pleasure so masterfully and forcefully. She was almost sure he’d be willing, now that he was healing. Her spies had reported enough about his relationships to know that much.

  Her stomach twisted in worry, as her traitorous mind added, if he was still alive and coming for her.

  But she was still turned on enough by that idea that she rubbed one out at the thought, while pointing the pulsing and hot spray wand at her sensitive little clit. Right when she was about to go over the edge, she mauled her pert tit and then twisted her fat nipple fiercely. The pleasure swept her away, the briefly sharp sensual pain only adding to the intensity of the rushing pleasure, and she didn’t even realize as she came down that she’d cried out his name. Fuck, she’d needed that too.

  It’d been a long four days.

  Gia felt a warmth in her chest and a sense of compassion and empathy as she dug her fingers into Dacen’s back and worked to relax his muscles. Her knight had been extremely stressed the last four days, and he needed the relief, relief of a non-sexual kind, and she was more than happy to be the one delivering it.

  She would be considered an expert masseuse, given her knowledge of the human body and experience as a healer. But her healing magic took it up another level as the spells in her hands sent relaxing waves into his muscles as well, and it soothed him. One muscle and one inch at a time his body relaxed under her warm oiled touch.

  The truth was she was falling for him hard. It hadn’t been all that long since she’d met him, and in that first meeting she’d firmly believed that he was a womanizing jackass and pushy pervert. She’d only been there for revenge against the pirates, and now that she’d had it had all turned around.

  The truth couldn’t have been more different than what she’d believed of him. Despite appearances, given he had four lovers sharing his bed.

  But then, so did she, since Allison, Leanne, and Riesa were her lovers as well. So that didn’t count, and it wasn’t at all like she’d assumed it was in the beginning.

  She couldn’t imagine leaving him now. Not willingly.

  “That feels so good, Gia. Your hands are pure magic.”

  She smiled, and said warmly, “Wait until I ask you to turn over.”

  He chuckled that low chuckle that never failed to stoke her lust. The one that seemed to be connected directly to her libido and desire.

  She blushed at his response, and her own boldly flirtatious statement.

  She was hardly an innocent, and at twenty-three she’d had her fair share of lovers. But in her old relationships the sex and intimacy had been rather… standard and not… kinky in the least.

&
nbsp; She’d never imagined being in a threesome before, much less a fivesome. She’d also never imagined all the wildly perverse things they all got up to, double penetration almost being a standard and normal thing for them to experience. Her sex life was a lot more… risqué now.

  And to her shocked surprise, she’d yet to not be incredibly turned on by any of it, and despite her past beliefs they really hadn’t pushed her limits at all that way. Even when he abusively dominated Leanne for Leanne’s pleasure, it turned her on. She’d liked just about everything that’d happened so far.

  Point being, it felt a little like a second sexual awakening, as if the sexual prowess within her was finally waking. And that made her feel both hot and hugely self-conscious. Her own hot desires and naughty thoughts scandalized herself on an almost constant basis. She’d even been toying with the idea of asking him to tie her down, the idea of being at his mercy, not to mention the others, really did it for her in her imagination. She just wasn’t sure the reality would be as fulfilling.

  But what made it all amazing and wonderful, was the way he treated her as an intelligent being. One complicated and wonderous woman, instead of simply aspects of her to focus on. Sex, affection, respect for her mind in conversation and seeking her advice, and lastly cherishing her emotions in snuggling and sharing their secrets and hopes. All of it, he saw all of it, all the time. Even when he was pounding her tight little pear-shaped ass, he was doing it to her. Not just because she had a slightly lush athletic body with proud C cups. She turned him on, as a whole, not just her hot body.

  And that made her heart melt every damned time she thought of it.

  She remembered the first time he’d told her that, she’d been dazed by it and uncertain how to act. No man had told her that before, nor had they complimented her dimpled smile or warm gray eyes, or her long lustrous dark black hair. The other men in her past had called her sexy often, sexpot, or told her that she had an amazing body. That she was incredibly flexible, and she was deliciously tight for them, but they’d never once told her she was beautiful, or said that she had a lovely mind and kind heart.

  She’d never felt beautiful before, much less been called those things.

  Not until him, that is, and she knew sincerity when she saw it. It wasn’t just a line.

  So she worked his tensed and rock hard muscles with devotion, and gentle applications of magic. She was in no hurry, despite her mouth practically watering at the idea of what she’d do later to him, when he turned over. But she was in no rush, enjoying every private moment they shared. Their happy ending to the massage would come soon enough. The journey, and intimacy, was far more important than the end result to her heart and mind.

  Damn, she really was feeling more than a bit smitten in that moment. Some of that sprung from the shallow affection of attraction and pleasure she knew, but most of it was very real and deep.

  She wanted to tell him Daniella was fine, and he needn’t worry, but she had no real way to know that. If she knew one thing about Dacen Black, it was that he didn’t want to hear empty platitudes to ease his worry and heart. Fortunately, they were only hours from arriving at Bright Star, where they’d discover the truth one way or another.

  She also knew he was still devastated by the death of Daisy, though he hadn’t talked about it since that first day in FTL, when they’d held a little and unofficial wake for her. Add in the fact he was in charge of a mission that got twenty-four out of thirty-six ships destroyed, and the enemy was still strong as they fled, she was surprised he hadn’t completely lost it.

  But he hadn’t as much as raised his voice to anyone.

  One of the hardest lessons as a healer with as much empathy as she had to learn, was that she couldn’t fix everything for everyone. Human hearts and emotions were complicated and fragile. But she could ease his pain and be there for him. Which in the end, was beyond priceless, and it was all anyone could ask for in a partner. Even if it didn’t feel like enough sometimes.

  Chapter One

  The tension on the bridge was a little high, though not exceptionally so, and that was probably his fault. His own tension had been rising over the last four days, and it was at a fever pitch with only ten minutes left before exiting the space fold and entering Bright Star. He just wasn’t sure what he was going to find when they got there, but Breanne’s psychopathic and smug speech before she’d died had him convinced it wouldn’t be good.

  If Daniella wasn’t alive then he wouldn’t know what he’d do. It took all his willpower not to jump to his feet and start pacing.

  His crew had been a supportive blessing over the last four days. His crew, friends, and lovers, all four of them. Though he supposed he no longer had a ship, but that didn’t make them any less his crew.

  Leanne was the steadiest, a golden blonde and blue-eyed beauty with the face of an angel and a lushly ripe body built for sin. Her beauty was truly unique, one of the rare ones that transcended the scale altogether. But it was her faith, exuberance, and warmth of presence that had soothed him these last days.

  Riesa, the exotic and lithely attractive Cheelah on the crew was also a comfort. She never said much, she was just always there, supportive and silent. Until the dross hit the fan, then she was fiercely protective and quite deadly. Her golden eyes steady, and her movements graceful.

  Gia was his healer, sometimes combat cyborg, and had a strong sense of empathy and loyalty. She had the classic beauty of the girl next door, average really, until she smiled and those dimples came out. Her warm gray eyes and long shiny black hair were extremely attractive as well. She had an athletic body, quite fit and limber, with generous C cups, lovely hips, and a tight pear-shaped ass to die for.

  Allison was his wild card in a lot of ways. Extremely diverse of talent on a ship even at the tender age of eighteen, and a wizard of power nearly equal to his and Riesa’s strength in magic. She had bright red hair, piercing green eyes, and a body only slightly less lush than Leanne’s, with proud D cups and equally lush hips with a heart shaped ass.

  When he looked at them, he felt a fist tightening around his heart. Especially Leanne and Riesa who had been with him the longest. He felt affection and worry, both possessive and protective of them, and the idea they might not survive felt unbearable. He wondered if that’s what love was.

  Was the stark terror and tightening in his stomach at the thought Daniella could be dead, love? Had the shock of grief and the efforts of the last weeks broke through that rage that kept his heart locked away from others?

  Daniella was like Leanne in the way she was a rare stunning beauty off the scale, but that’s about where the comparison failed. She was another one with the face of an angel, soft and ethereal, but far from innocent like Leanne’s beauty. She had seductive dark brown eyes, generous full lips, and she had lovely and long wavy dark brown hair. Her beauty was of the exotic seductress, while Leanne was his innocent seductress.

  The princess’s body was Leanne’s polar opposite as well. She was petitely curvy at five foot one, with lovely golden-brown skin and a body in perfect proportion. Her breasts were generous B cups, with extremely large dark brown nipples, and she had the sexiest petite bubbled ass in existence.

  He’d never been in love before, and he couldn’t be sure. It surely didn’t help that he was still mourning the death of Daisy, and over a thousand men and women who had been on the twenty-four ships that were destroyed at the battle of proposition. Battle? It’d been a one-sided slaughter, and he’d led those two fleets right into it.

  The fact the loss was more from Breanne’s betrayal than any bad planning on his part didn’t make him feel any better. He should’ve seen it coming.

  Even if it was love, or just a start in that direction, they were his crew. They were his lovers too, his ladies, but as crew they’d fight and support him. Hell, he needed them, if he tried to go in alone then he’d just wind-up overpowered, outclassed, and dead.

  Perhaps he was worried for nothing, and the king had already dealt with the traitors severely. But he doubted it, not if Breanne’s words had been the truth. Not if four of the five knights on Bright Star had turned traitor.