by L H Whitlock
When she stepped out of the shower the room’s hologram had changed to that of a colorful forest with white tree trunks and yellow and teal leaves. The ground was covered in a bed of pink flowers, the image so real she could almost feel them tickling her feet. It was beautiful, but, something about being bare ass naked in the middle of a forest, hologram or not, made her skin prickle. Her clothes had been replaced by a knee length, spaghetti-strapped night gown. She really didn’t want to think too much on how the hell that had happened. Sneaky bastard.
Looking at herself in the mirror, she stalled for as long as she could. Her hair hung around her face, the wavy locks cascaded around her shoulders, the silky black gown clung to her skin, showing off more than she liked. She tugged at the fabric self-consciously; she had always thought that her toned arms and legs made her look hard and boxy. She stared at the closed door and knew she couldn’t delay any longer.
***
“Where is my room?” Lily asked. She was determined to keep her voice flat and emotionless, but when she saw Ulrick’s bare chest, her voice lost it coolness.
Ulrick inhaled a sharp breath, his nostrils flaring. “You can sleep in my room,” he said, rising from the sofa.
Lily bit her lip. Oh I bet I can…asshole. What the hell is he doing half naked? His hair was tied back, accentuating his squared chin and deep blue eyes. His broad shoulders and toned chest looked silky smooth and Lily found herself wondering how each defined muscle would feel beneath her fingers. His marking did cover a large amount of his body; the contrast of black against his tanned skin was alluring. His chest acted as a molded dance floor for the intricate bands. The thick lines distorted as they dipped in the grooves of his abs. She followed a particular marking until it plunged below his pants, which were tied lazily around his waist, leaving Lily wondering where it had journeyed to.
Ulrick walked past her, his hand catching her lower back as he went by. “I will sleep out here.” He guided her to his bedroom, stopping in the doorway, allowing her to take refuge behind it. She peaked inside, a large bed with dark purple coverings and a shiny chrome headboard dominated the room. The back wall was all glass, showing the training coliseum. She knew Ulrick had chosen this room just for that reason. She turned to find him still standing at the door, waiting for an invitation.
“Rest well,” Lily said, her voice softer then she expected. She allowed her eyes to shamelessly run down his body again, capturing a picture she was sure to take into her dreams.
“You as well A’ Kilini,” Ulrick murmured. Lily had to give him credit, he hid his disappointment well.
When the door shut she slid beneath the silky sheets. The floating disks that brightened the room dimmed on their own accord until all that was left were the lights of the training facility.
34
Gloria and Lily sat in the common area aboard Ulrick’s home ship. Their chairs tilted so they could gaze out of the glass walls. Gloria was spread out on an orange seat that blended with her dress. Lily wore a similar royal blue dress, which Gloria had forced her to wear. She had to admit it was oddly comfortable.
Soft pastel rugs littered the floors. Colorful, eclectic furniture circled the room, and artwork, antiques, and statues adorned various end tables, each representing an ancient civilization.
Lily sat on a white chair, her legs curled under her, and stared out the glass wall. A speck of a star shined dully across the vastness, too far away to cast its true light. Yunit, a gas planet, hung suspended against the black canvas. Bands of orange, purple, and cream gas twisted around it, moving with ferocious speed.
Neither girl said anything for a while, Lily was too deep in thought to provide much to a conversation. She had spoken with Rowan about Ulrick and the Developers and what she knew of their plan. Rowan reluctantly agreed to a meeting and was sending a transporter to pick them up at a designated location. They only had one day until they met the transporter then who knew what would happen. Rowan was pissed off and suspicious of Ulrick’s intentions. She didn’t blame him.
“It’s going to be okay.” Gloria’s voice snapped Lily out of her thoughts.
“Thanks…I’m just not sure what to do next.” The confession surprised even herself.
“It’ll work out. Rowan has a lot of respect for you. Once he understands the truth he will join Ulrick and his alliance.”
“Thanks. Rowan wants this war to be over, he will see the benefit of an alliance.”
An asteroid wandered too close to the gas planet and was pulled into its atmosphere in a fiery streak.
“So…he’s the one, huh?”
“What?” Lily gazed over to Gloria. Her golden hair hung in wavy locks around her face. Her lavender eyes were adorned with teal eye shadow and fuchsia eyeliner that matched her lips.
“Ulrick’s your Ja’ Keo Gruna.”
Lily hesitated for a moment. She hadn’t admitted this out loud yet and she wasn’t sure she was ready. With a heavy sigh she gave in. “Yes.”
Gloria squealed, tucked her legs under, and leaned forward. “Okay, tell me all about him. He seems so tormented. I bet he’s a passionate lover!”
Lily’s eyes widened. “Uh…well, he said he has searched for me for over one hundred and fifty rotations.” She didn’t know why she wanted to tell the other girl this, but it was the first thing that came to her mind.
“Oh, wow.” Gloria fanned herself with her hand. “I can tell from your necklace that he searched for a long time. There must be like three hundred stones on it!”
“Five hundred…” Lily corrected, traced her fingers lightly over the stones. When had I counted them?
“Wow!” Gloria fell silent for a moment. “So…Do you like him?”
Lily felt her face heat up. Her heart jumped as she realized ‘like’ wasn’t the word that explained how she felt.
***
Ulrick heard his name and stopped mid-knock. He realized that if he was caught standing in the open doorway like this he would never hear the end of it…but he had to know what she was saying.
“He said he searched for me for over one hundred and fifty cycles,” Lily said softly.
Ulrick’s breath caught in his throat. His Kenslieg twisted excitedly over his arms. He willed them to stop or they would alert his mate, but the bands continued their circling, only adding fuel to the fire that had been tormenting him for days.
“Oh wow. I can tell from your necklace that he searched for a long time. There must be like three hundred stones on it!” Gloria said, her voice a higher, squeakier pitch then Lily’s.
“There’s five hundred,” Lily said. Ulrick swore he caught a hint of awe.
“Wow!” Gloria responded. “So…do you like him?”
Ulrick thought his lungs were going to explode from holding his breath as he waited for her to answer. His markings flared and a primal need surfaced, demanding he grab his mate, escort her to his bed and make love to her until she finally gave him the answer he wanted. He gripped the doorframe to steady himself, to prevent his body from acting on his true desires. He was sure she would turn around at any moment and find him standing there like some kind of eavesdropping pervert. She would become angry with him again and he would have to spend another night locked outside of his own room.
“Like doesn’t exactly cover it...” Lily trailed off, shifting in her seat.
Gloria let loose an ear piercing squeal. “I knew it!”
Ulrick’s body tightened and he tightened his lips, holding back a triumphant roar. He fought every desire not to barge into the room and force her to tell him that to his face. Not wanting to increase his risk of getting caught, Ulrick knocked lightly on the door.
Lily’s head popped out from around her chair, her white-blonde hair spilling past her shoulders. She bit her lip, her aqua eyes darkened, betraying her causal movements. Her gaze moved over his body examining his shirtless form. He held back a smirk. He had originally thought the suggestion from Gloria was juvenile, but it seemed to be working.
> “Would you ladies care to join me for the mid-day meal? We can review the presentation and documentation for Rowan.” His voice seemed foreign to him, deep and husky.
Lily stood, smoothed her hands over her dress and started toward him. “That’s a good idea.”
A smile tugged at Ulrick’s lips. She looked marvelous in the royal blue dress. It hung to the top of her knees. The simple cotton clung to her showing off her rounded breasts and the curves of her hips. The neckline dropped in a V, teasing him with a peak of her silky skin. While Gloria was barefoot, Lily wore her combat boots. Somehow that turned him on even more. He took a deep breath. She’s going to drive me crazy.
Gloria followed Lily’s lead, mouthing ‘wow’ to her when she glanced at Ulrick’s bare chest. The light blush on Lily’s cheeks deepened and she mouthed ‘shut it’ to Gloria. Ulrick nearly threw his head back with laughter. It’s working even better than I expected. I have to admit, Gloria does know a thing or two.
***
Lily followed Ulrick down the hallway and couldn’t help but check out every square inch of his sculpted back. Am I more of an ass girl or a back girl? Hmm. Both are enticing, but I think I need more data. Even on his back the Hilian markings made an appearance. They circled over his shoulder and licked at his side. She followed the patterns as they traveled down his arm and the side of his body, flaring out slightly as they hit his waist. His black hair was pulled at the nape of his neck with a leather strap. She wanted to let his hair loose and run her fingers through the shoulder-length hair.
“Why’s he shirtless?” Gloria whispered louder than Lily felt comfortable with.
“Shh, I do not know…it is his house, I guess he can do whatever he wants.”
“He’s seriously hot! And, so strong!”
“Stop looking at him!”
“Oh my!” Gloria gasped. “Are you jealous? You should see the way he looks at you. He didn’t even bother glancing at me.”
“What do you mean?”
Ulrick stopped at the door. “Is something bothering you?” A smile tugged at his lips.
“No.” Lily’s words left her mouth a little too quickly. She stormed past him and into the dining area. Out of the corner of her eye Lily saw Gloria giving Ulrick a high five. Since when are those two best friends? Lily had a sneaking suspicion that Gloria was behind Ulrick’s attire. Gloria was the one who told Lily to wear the dress, maybe she was working both of them. Sneaky bitch.
The kitchen floors were tinted royal blue from lights beneath the metal cabinets. Light disks floated in the room, changing color in a slow rotation. She watched the light turn from yellow to purple and fade to green, each casting a hue over the room. The bubble washer and food generator were nestled into the white counters leaving plenty of space for an eat-in dining area.
Ulrick had already placed a bowl of Milon soup on the table for each of the women. Lily dipped a tug cracker into the creamy vegetable soup then slurped down a spoonful. Does he know this is one of my favorites? She glanced at Ulrick, who was watching her eat with a smug look. Oh, I bet he does…and I bet I know his source. Lily looked over at Gloria, who looked much too happy for her own good. Traitor.
“What did you want to give to Rowan?” Lily asked Ulrick.
He sat across the table from her. “Take a look through these documents, they provide details for the mission and include many signed agreements between the Developers and me. It should help verify the information.” He slid the packet across the table.
Lily looked through the papers. “All right, so, the overall plan is to gather troops around Aray, then leak the information to Golan.”
“Yes, if he hears that there are Hilians, he will come to destroy them and Harvest the planet.”
“How do you know he will be with them? He does not usually engage in combat.”
Ulrick nodded. “No he does not, but this will be a matter of pride for him. He hates the Hilians, specifically me, and if he believes that we are still weak and trying to populate, he will come to watch the slaughter, just like he had when Hilia was destroyed.”
Lily gnawed on her lip. “I see…”
“He will bring most of his forces as well, a demonstration of power.”
“But Golan’s forces are huge.” Gloria slurped her soup directly from the bowl.
“The Renegade has reports saying that Golan has nearly 100,000 ships,” Lily added.
“Roughly, yes,” Ulrick confirmed.
Lily dipped her spoon into the soup then let the contents fall back into the bowl. Turning the page she asked, “How many ships do you have?”
Ulrick thought for a moment. “It is not all about numbers. The Developers are much more advanced and have given us their latest, so our ships are much stronger in combat. Also, we trained specifically for this. Most of Golan’s forces are slaves and untrained.”
“True, that is worth a lot more. Not to mention home field advantage,” Lily commented.
Ulrick nodded. “The Hilians have about twelve thousand ships, the Developers have over 80,000. What are the Renegades counts?” He collected Lily and Gloria’s bowls, refilled them then handed them back.
Lily circled the bowl with her hands, allowing the heat to warm her palms. “We have about eight thousand.”
Ulrick’s brow arched. “Eight thousand?”
“Yes,” Lily brought the bowl to her mouth and sipped, mimicking Gloria.
Ulrick huffed. “With how long the Renegade been around? That is ridiculous.”
Lily narrowed her eyes. “Hey, the Renegades main priority is not combat. We save civilizations and find them replacement homes. We are too busy with that to mass produce warships.”
Ulrick pressed his fingers to his forehead. “How many of those are transporters?”
Lily silently sipped her soup.
Ulrick released a heavy breath. “Looks like I have to adjust my estimations.”
“We may not be able to offer a lot of troops, but we want this war to end too. We want to do our part,” Lily argued.
“I know A’ Kilini, I just hoped Rowan had built a bigger fleet, that’s all.” Ulrick collected the dirty bowls and placed them in the washer. He pressed on a button and the machine filled with bubbles.
Lily riffled through the papers again. “Is there anything else I should know?”
“The Developers will arrive later in the battle, taking Golan by surprise.”
“How long until we meet with the transporters?” Gloria asked.
“We will arrive in the morning,” Ulrick said.
“Well, I’m going to get some rest. Thanks for lunch.” Gloria slid off her stool, stretched her arms over her head, and skipped out of the room.
Damn her. That girl is just looking for ways to get us alone together. Whose side is she on anyway? “I need to um…draft up my reports for tomorrow.” Lily stood and headed back to the common area.
***
Lily sat at a desk in the common area looking out into the endlessness of space. She had only managed to jot down a few notes before her mind wandered back to the shirtless Ulrick. How the hell am I supposed to get any work done if all I can think about is running my hands over those big juicy arms? This is ridiculous! He should not be allowed to meander around without proper clothing.
She was so caught up in thought she didn’t realize Ulrick had stepped into the room until his fingers brushed against the side of her neck. He slid a lock of hair out of his way and kissed the exposed skin. Heat rose to her cheeks.
“You should get some rest. It is late and I want to make sure you are properly rested before our meeting tomorrow.” Ulrick placed another kiss on her shoulder. Fire seemed to link the two kisses together and she feared her entire body would soon be consumed by the heat.
She looked for an argument, but could find none. “Yes, I suppose you are right.” Her eyes locked with his.
Ulrick looked at her with a gaze that promised to appease her darkest desires. “Join me tonight in m
y room. We can… watch a spar or two.” He trailed his hand over her markings. They seemed to reach for him as his fingers slid past.
“Um,” she uttered, her mouth suddenly dry. “That would be nice, but I will sleep in a guest room.”
Ulrick nodded. “I will have one prepared for you,” he murmured.
Lily puffed out her cheeks and narrowed her eyes. He was so damn confident that he hadn’t even prepared a room for her. He just expected her to sleep in his. Bastard! All the more reason to find a different bed to rest in for the night.
Though she worked hard to control her thoughts, a flutter in her stomach told her how she really felt about falling asleep in his powerful arms. She followed him down the hallway knowing that the moment she stepped into his room she would be throwing in the flag.
35
Lily sat on the sofa in Ulrick’s room looking out at the coliseum. A woman wielding a split-edged sword swung at a man. He dove at her, taking her to the ground and pulling the weapon from her grip. Lily tried to immerse herself in the fight, but her eyes kept darting to Ulrick.
He sat next to her, his brow creased as he engaged in what she could only guess was an internal debate.
Lily leaned her head back against the cushion, refusing to look him in the eyes and asked the question that had been burning a hole in her ever since she saw him on Briella. “In the kitchen…what did you say to me?”
He answered in a heavy breath, “Ja’ Keo Gruna.”
“What did you say after that?”
His voice hitched in the back of his throat. “They are binding words meant to tie true matches together. If I say them, I won’t be able to control the need I have to make you mine.”
She bit her lip, and knew he spoke truth when he said it was binding. Her heart slammed in her chest. Well, here goes. “What did you say before?” she whispered, so quietly she feared he would not hear her, but she couldn’t muster the courage to say it any louder.
Ulrick’s body went ridged. Just when she thought he wasn’t going to respond, he reached over and pulled her across his lap. Her head came to rest on the arm of the sofa with her bottom fitted on his lap.
