“I’m so sorry. What did you say?”
He looked from her to A’tai, and she saw the amusement on his face. God, was she really that obvious? Fortunately he didn’t comment.
“I was merely welcoming you. I understand that you are looking forward to your visit to the farm.”
“Yes, very much so. Are your beds on land, or floating in the sea?”
“On land? That’s not a method I’ve heard about before.”
“My understanding is that it allows for more controlled production, but it does require more land.”
“That might explain it. Land is something that is in short supply around here,” Toaga said. “But it is an interesting idea—”
“No more work talk at the table.” Simea set a huge pot down on the table with a bang. “You know the rules. I won’t let you talk the poor girl’s ears off discussing the farm.”
“I really don’t—” she began.
Toaga shook his head at her, his eyes warm with hidden laughter. “We can discuss it further at the farm. This looks delicious, my dear.”
“I just hope it’s not entirely ruined,” Simea muttered as she returned to the kitchen. She brought out three more dishes before she finally sat down and joined them. “Will you offer thanks, A’tai?”
He nodded. “We thank the Sisters for the bounty of the sea and the shelter of the land, and the company of our friends and family.”
“Nice to see you haven’t completely forgotten what I taught you.” Simea smiled at him as she began filling their plates.
“I wouldn’t dare.”
Simea rolled her eyes as she handed Kate an overflowing plate.
“This looks delicious,” she said sincerely. Unfortunately, it also didn’t look familiar.
“It is bastra, a type of seafood stew, common to the south.” A’tai leaned over to explain. “The grains are from our northern territories, while the fruit is grown here on the island.”
Territories? Her suspicions as to his status continued to increase, but she didn’t comment. Instead, she took a cautious bite of the stew, then smiled.
“This is really good. And spicy,” she added as the heat reached the back of her tongue.
Toaga laughed and handed her a glass of what turned out to be some type of iced wine. He winked at Simea. “My mate likes to heat things up.”
To Kate’s surprise, a flicker of blue washed over Simea’s skin.
“Don’t be an old fool. Now, A’tai, tell us all the gossip from the capital.”
“It’s not exactly my specialty,” A’tai said dryly. “Although, my mother mentioned that House Faleta is opening a brothel.”
Simea shook her head. “What in the Sisters is happening to this planet?”
The meal passed very pleasantly. The conversation remained general, although Kate could tell that Simea was dying to ask her questions. She drank more of the wine than she probably should have in an attempt to combat the heat of the stew, and by the time they were finished, a pleasant warmth flowed through her veins.
“Are you tired, my amali?” A’tai whispered to her as Simea brought out small cups of a bitter brew that was most definitely not coffee.
“No, why?”
He simply looked amused, and she realized she was leaning heavily against him. The combination of the midday heat, a full stomach, and the wine had made her sleepy and content.
“Oops. Sorry.” She started to push herself upright, but he kept his arm wrapped around her waist. One of his limbs had crept up over her thigh as well.
“No need to apologize. I have no objection to supporting you.”
Her breath caught at the look in his eyes, and for a moment she thought he was going to kiss her. Then a discreet cough sounded from across the table.
“We could postpone our trip to the farm if you wish to… rest,” Toaga said.
Her cheeks heated, and she made another attempt to sit up. This time A’tai let her go, although his arm remained around her waist. Simea watched them, a strange expression on her face.
“I’d really like to see it, if you don’t mind taking us,” Kate said eagerly.
“Not at all. Sire?” Toaga asked, looking at A’tai.
Sire? She felt A’tai tense, but before she could question him, Simea rose to her feet and began gathering dishes in a noisy rush. Toaga had turned blue, and it was as much for his benefit that she decided not to pursue the matter right now.
“You’re still going to take me, aren’t you?” she asked A’tai.
“If that is what you wish.”
Did he look relieved? She turned back to Toaga. “You said that the farm was at sea. Does that mean we have to swim?”
He definitely looked relieved as he shook his head. “I had planned to take the boat.”
As they all rose from the table, Simea reappeared and handed Kate a small bottle.
“This is manoji oil. To protect you from the sun.”
“Thank you. And thank you for the delicious meal.”
“You’re most welcome.” The nurse shot a quick glance at A’tai. “Very welcome indeed.”
Kate wasn’t sure exactly how to take her words, so she only smiled and went to join Toaga and A’tai, who were waiting at the dock on one side of the wide beach. As she approached, she could see the small boat had two outriggers and a colorful sail.
A’tai looked chagrined as she joined them. “I should have thought of the oil. Your skin is so delicate. Do you need help applying it?”
He took a step towards her, and she hastily backed away. The thought of him rubbing oil into her skin was a little too appealing, and she was determined to see the algae farm.
“I can do it, thank you.”
But even though only her hands applied the oil, his eyes followed her so closely that it almost felt as if he had been doing it. By the time she finished, her cheeks were flushed and her body hummed with arousal. Doing her best to ignore the sensation, she went to join him at the boat.
Chapter Twelve
As A’tai helped Kate into the boat, he could feel the slickness of the manoji oil on her skin. It was a disturbingly erotic sensation, and he found himself wondering if her tight little cunt would be as slippery. His arousal had been simmering since he’d had her pressed against the wall earlier, and he almost regretted ever suggesting the trip to her.
But as she leaned forward to ask Toaga a question, her eyes sparkling, he didn’t have the heart to suggest canceling it. She had agreed to let him show her how their bodies could fit together later, and he would just have to wait until then.
He didn’t contribute to the conversation, content just to watch her. As the boat skimmed across the water, the Sisters’ rays struck sparks of gold in the rich brown of her hair. Her pale skin shimmered softly from the oil. He wondered how she would look if he stripped her naked and applied it to the rest of her body—and this time, he would most definitely be the one doing the application.
As they rounded the headland into the first bay, she looked back at him and her eyes widened. He realized that his lustful thoughts were reflected in the gold flickering across his skin. He took a deep breath to try and compose himself, but her sweetness was heavy in the air and it wasn’t until he saw Pulata waiting for them, that he managed to focus on business once more.
Pulata was dressed in the standard working male’s tunic, but it was the same deep blue as Kate’s dress, and for some reason he found that annoying. He also didn’t like the speculative way that Pulata looked at Kate.
He helped her out of the boat, then stood with his arm around her.
“Kate, this is Warden Pulata. He oversees the management of the algae farms. Pulata, this is my Kate.”
“Greetings, Lady Kate and Pr—A’tai.” Pulata shot a quick look at Toaga, and A’tai realized the older male must have alerted him that he preferred not to use his title. He should have thought to warn the Warden himself. He was actually surprised that Kate had not already followed up on Toaga’s earl
ier slip up. He had already noticed how observant she was—which she immediately proved as she turned to survey the farms.
The algae beds were arranged in neat formation across the surface of the bay, with colored buoys indicating the ownership of each bed. The space between the beds was filled with floating docks to enable the farmers to work on them more easily.
“What do the colors of the buoys represent? Are they different types of algae, or are they under different ownership?”
“The top color represents the owner while the bottom color represents the species,” Pulata answered before A’tai could respond.
“It looks as if the majority of them belong to one owner.”
“That is correct. This island is one of the primary production centers for Prince A—I mean, for House Maulimu.” Pulata shot him a nervous look, but Kate seemed more interested in the actual farm.
She surveyed the beds thoughtfully. “It looks as though certain species grow better in certain parts of the bay.”
Pulata bowed his head. “You are correct. The far side receives afternoon shade and is better suited for growing the species which are used for fuel.”
“Are you extracting their oil or compressing them into pellets for fuel use?”
Pulata’s expression turned from speculative to impressed. Kate moved to his side, and he turned to point out the processing mill on the far shore. A’tai scowled after them while Toaga gave him a sympathetic look.
“Your… companion is full of questions.”
“Yes, she is.” He had enjoyed it when she was asking him questions—he was not quite so sure that he appreciated her intense interest in another male’s conversation.
His annoyance continued to grow as Pulata shepherded them through the tour of the beds. Kate continued to ask questions—questions which revealed a surprising amount of knowledge—and he could see Pulata falling under her spell. By the time they reached one of the beds that had suffered damage, his patience was wearing thin.
“This is one of the beds that I was telling you about, A’tai,” Pulata said, and A’tai almost snapped at him to use his correct title before he came to his senses.
The bed was in terrible condition, dark viscous streaks beginning to overtake the healthy yellow. It was only one bed amongst many, but seeing it in person, he could understand Pulata’s concern, especially if it was spreading.
“Have you tried isolating the affected beds?”
“Of course. But it seems to spring up at random with no relation between the beds that are affected and the ones that are not.”
“Once it starts, is there any way to rescue the remaining algae?” Kate asked.
Pulata shook his head. “We tried removing the unaffected portions but none of them survived.”
“It’s possible that they were already infected at a microscopic level,” she said thoughtfully.
“That was my conclusion as well.” Pulata pointed to a distant boat that was traveling slowly between the beds. “We are collecting samples from every bed on a weekly basis. But none of the samples has shown any sign of the disease, even when taken from beds that are later infected.”
“That’s interesting. It suggests that it’s environmental.” Kate turned to survey the beds again. “But there is no pattern as to where it appears?”
“Not that we have been able to determine.”
“But there were more empty beds on the sunny side of the bay. Is that due to position, or the type of algae?”
Pulata frowned. “I’m not sure if we correlated those parameters. Would you like to accompany me to the lab?”
The question was addressed specifically to Kate, and A’tai’s irritation flared again. He stepped up and put his arm around her shoulders.
“I don’t think we have time—”
“Please, A’tai,” Kate interrupted. “I’d really like to see the lab.”
How could he refuse her when she looked up at him hopefully?
“Very well,” he conceded, trying not to sound annoyed.
“This way.” Pulata led the way along the floating dock and to A’tai’s annoyance, Kate slipped free from his arm and went to join the warden.
“I have some work to do on my bed,” Toaga said quietly. “With your permission?”
“Yes, yes,” he muttered impatiently, as he watched Kate talking to Pulata without even a glance back in his direction.
“You know,” Toaga said thoughtfully, “Lady Kate reminds me of you.”
“Of me?”
“You act the same way when you are deep in your studies. I suspect you’ve made a good choice in your… companion.”
Toaga walked off before A’tai could respond. His initial impulse was to deny the statement, but it bore an uncomfortable ring of truth. As he hurried to catch up with Kate and Pulata, he continued to think about it. She acted more like a scholar than a slave, he decided—a theory that was confirmed when they reached the lab.
She was obviously familiar with the majority of the equipment, which would be expected if she had been an assistant, but she was also clearly familiar with the protocols around setting up and analyzing experiments.
“That’s an interesting hypothesis,” Pulata said. “Perhaps it would be possible for you to come and work on it here with me? We have an opening.”
A’tai had been so busy speculating about the delightful puzzle that Kate represented that he had not been paying much attention, but those words penetrated. Let his female come and work in a subservient position with another male?
“Absolutely not,” he roared.
They both looked startled, then Kate came over and put a soothing hand on his arm.
“Please, A’tai. I’d really like to help discover what is happening to the algae. Pulata says it’s vital to the economy of the people who employ him. They own most of the beds in the bay.”
This time, he was not about to be swayed by her pleading eyes. She belonged to him, not to Pulata.
“No.”
“Why not? I know I can help.”
“I said no.” Her insistence only made him more determined. He didn’t like the fact that she seemed so comfortable here in Pulata’s company, and he was not going to allow her to spend any more time with him.
“But—”
“I said no,” he repeated, and made a fatal mistake. “You are my slave, and you will obey me.”
Shock washed over her face, followed by a heart-wrenching combination of anger and despair. She stumbled away from him, then turned and raced for the door.
Fuck. How could he have been such an idiot?
As he started to go after her, Pulata stepped in front of him, his face stern and angry.
“Is this true, sire? She is your slave?”
“No! Well, yes, but it is not what you think.”
“I think you just treated an obviously intelligent, thoughtful person as if they were no more than an insect beneath your feet.”
Fury roared through A’tai, and he extended his limbs, towering over the shorter male.
“This is not your business. She belongs to me.”
Pulata stood his ground. “As a slave? Or as a companion?”
The question penetrated his anger.
“I am not questioning the tie between you,” Pulata added softly. “But I think you had best consider the nature of that tie before you lose her.”
He couldn’t quite bring himself to admit the other male was right, but he relaxed his posture.
“I will talk to her.”
Pulata wisely stepped aside without further comment, and A’tai went after his female. But when he stepped outside, she was nowhere in sight.
He scanned the area frantically, searching for any sign of her. At this hour of the day, many of the workers took a break to avoid the full heat of the sun and the area was practically deserted. He wondered if she had gone to find Toaga, but he could see the older male in the distance, bending over his beds.
Where in the Sisters had she g
one?
He was about to dive into the water to search for her, when he realized he was being foolish. She was of the land, not of the sea. She would not have taken to the water to escape.
His heart pounded as he turned to look at the densely wooded slope leading up from the bay. The jungle contained so many dangers, and she would be facing them alone. She was so fragile. If anything happens to her, I will never forgive myself, he thought as he headed for the trees.
Chapter Thirteen
Kate raced out of the lab, doing her best not to give in to the tears that threatened. After their original conversation, it had been surprisingly easy to forget that A’tai thought of her as no more than a slave. He had never treated her that way—until just now.
She burst out into the sunlight, a little surprised she had made it that far without him following her. The jade waters of the bay sparkled peacefully under the brilliant rays of the two suns, the colorful algae beds adding to the vibrant scene, but it all looked horribly alien. She had to get away, but how? Where?
A bird called from behind her, and she whirled around to find herself looking up at the wooded slope that led into the interior of the island. It wasn’t exactly like an Earth forest, but right now it seemed vastly more familiar than the waters of the bay. Without pausing to consider her decision, she headed for the trees.
The undergrowth at the base of the hill was annoyingly thick, but once she had fought her way through it, the ground beneath the trees was much clearer. The temperature also dropped under the shade of the canopy, and she gave a sigh of relief as she started to make her way up the hillside.
As she climbed, her initial urgency began to fade, and she wondered if she had been too impulsive. She had accepted A’tai’s terms, intending all along to use him to gather information on how to find her friends and then escape. She had forgotten about that part of the plan in her enthusiasm over the work that they were doing at the algae farms, so closely allied to her own work back on Earth.
Kate and the Kraken: A SciFi Alien Romance (Alien Abduction Book 11) Page 8
