She paused for a moment, lost in the memories of the past. He squeezed her waist and nuzzled her ear to bring her back to him. She took a deep breath and continued, “Sadly, I was so lost in my own grief over Kalis, that I had completely forgotten about the little ones. Eventually, we helped pull each other out of our misery and we were able to function as a family again. That is, until I discovered father’s notebook.” Revlis said as she pulled the small book into her lap. Valdrik scowled at it and Revlis heard a low growl. She turned to look up at him and saw his displeasure. She brushed a quick kiss to his jawline and continued.
“Once I found out what secrets he was hiding,” she tapped the book. “I knew that as soon as he found out that I knew, he’d go after me like he did Kalis. It’s vague, but I believe that is why he killed both Kalis and Trédü. I hate what he did to mother almost as much as why he did it. All my life, he talked about peace and gathering people from all walks of life, all species, and creating a safe haven for everyone. Your father and Trédü were the first non-Elvish guards he ever requested to be by his side. And for him to have allowed you to protect me all that time only to snatch you away from me after finding out about our love for each other.”
Valdrik kissed her temple and stroked her hair as her voice cracked from her rising emotions. “I had to leave. I wanted to tell you, to take the little ones with me, but I thought it would be best if I was alone. I thought everyone would be safer away from me. So I stole away on a ship to Taniro and left the books behind along with a few memories. Then I left a few more memories on Messiah and I left the biggest pieces on Gildaire, just before I entered the lab. The director was still an underling back then, and I didn’t tell them the truth of why I wanted to leave. I simply explained that I wanted an indefinite amount of time to study the humans on Terra. And that’s where I’ve been all this time. Speaking of time, how long has it been?”
“Nearly a millennia.” he replied. Her eyes went wide and he chuckled. “No, you’ve only been gone a couple of centuries. Still,” he said as he tipped her head up, “It was way too long.”
She smiled up at him. Yes, it has indeed been far too long. She leaned into him and stretched her neck up as he took the hint and they kissed for the first time in ages.
They broke the kiss and nuzzled into each other’s necks. After a few moments of silence, Es asked, “So how long was I gone? As for Terra time, it was only a little over two centuries.”
He pulled away to look at her as he replied, “Four hundred thirty-six years, Love. Much too long for me,” he said as he leaned in for another kiss. This one deeper and hungrier than the last, leaving both of them gasping for breath.
“Val,” she said breathlessly. She giggled a little and smiled at him as she wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head against his collar bone. He rested his chin on her head as they held each other.
“I’ve missed you, Rev,” he said into her hair.
She tilted her head up at this and smiled. “About that,” she began. “While I absolutely adore your nicknames for me, can you call me Es? I rather like it and it still kind of works,” she said with a giggle.
Valdrik smiled down at her and kissed her forehead as he squeezed her tight once more. “Anything you want, Love. Just ask.”
He pulled her into his lap and began devouring her mouth once more. One hand planted firmly behind her head and the other roaming up and down her right thigh. She felt him give a squeeze on occasion as he yet again brought both of them to gasping for air.
She curled one hand into his shirt while the other entwined in his hair. He broke the kiss and placed small kisses along her jawline and up her right ear, making her giggle at the tingling sensation each kiss left behind.
Her body growing warmer with each passing moment as he traced kisses down her neck. The hand on her thigh finding its way beneath her skirt and the perfect spot to squeeze consistently while the other had dropped from her neck and down her back.
Her body was on fire from his touch. She could only imagine how it would feel when they mated. Before she could let her mind wander away from her current pleasure, he dipped his tongue in her mouth once more. She met his every thrust, his need to devour mirrored with her own.
His hand left her thigh cold but was soon grasping one of her breasts. She mewed into his mouth as he kneaded the soft flesh. Her nipple hardened beneath his touch and she wanted more. Her back arched pushing her breast into his hand as much as she could.
He moaned as he broke the kiss and once again went down her neck. His hand leaving her breast to undo a button and then another. They both were breathing heavily and neither could wait to feel each other skin to skin.
A loud buzzing interrupted the moment. An announcement over the intercom called him to the control room.
Valdrik growled and groaned at the same time. Es sighed and buried her head into the crook of his neck. He held her as their breathing settled back to normal.
With a heavy sigh, he kissed the top of her head and slid her off of his lap as he stood. “Duty calls,” he said with a sad and disappointed look on his face.
He stopped at the door and turned. “I want to take the time to court you properly, since it was interrupted. I want to do things right.”
She smiled at him as she replied, “There is no need for courting.” She giggled at his confusion. “I believe you courted me plenty already. If I wasn’t ready for you, I wouldn’t have let you get so far just now.”
His eyes widened and Es was sure he was blushing.
He gave a slight shrug. “Still,” he said. “I owe you a betrothal gift.” He grinned and turned back to the door.
Es couldn’t help smiling as she watched him leave, thoughts of his possible gifts floating in her mind. Not knowing how long he would be gone, she decided to cool her head by looking at the spell books. She found that quite difficult, however, as her mind kept wandering to what had just transpired between them.
She glanced at her hands and rubbed her thighs. She bit her lip. The man lit a fire within her and she definitely felt sparks, obvious by her body still feeling hot and tingly from his touch.
Not being able to control herself, she let her mind wander into a fantasy of their mating and she touched herself as he had and she hoped he would. Within moments she brought herself to climax and lay there breathless. If things went as she thought they would, she’d sleep for hours after their mating.
Heart to Heart
For the last couple of days, Valdrik had gotten little sleep. Protecting his beloved was his number one priority. Now that she was awake, he needed to plan the perfect proposal. Before he could get to that, there were a few other things to get out of the way. Knowing her, she would want to get her father out of the picture before he could find his way into it and destroy them all over again.
Coming up with a plan was difficult, however, since he couldn’t keep his mind off what had happened right after she woke. He remembered how she tasted and how she had melted into him as he had kissed her. How she had mewed when he had gently gripped her soft breast.
Her response had surprised him, but he smiled at the thought of her being just as hungry for him as he was for her. Since that moment, his crew often had to break him out of his dirty thoughts. Valdrik tried to hide his embarrassment, but his crew understood his feelings.
After letting her take things easy for a day, he took her to see the lab director. She had insisted the director tell her everything. Within moments, the tactless man had her in tears. She was completely dismayed that the Terra she knew was gone.
She most likely regretted that now, after being shown a video compilation documenting all of the destruction the planet and its inhabitants suffered over time.
His heart had ached when she cried. She had fought so hard to protect that planet and all of its lifeforms. She’d been rather depressed since returning to the ship and when pressed about it, she said she felt that she failed her siblings and Terra.
To brighten her mood, he had decided to introduce her to the crew, but first he needed to get her some decent clothes. He kicked himself for not having thought of it earlier, wondering if she were a little embarrassed to be walking around in the bloody clothes she’d been wearing for over a week. Let alone not having had a bath. He had drawn a hot bath for her and told her to relax while he would get her something to wear from Gildaire’s market.
“I’ll take this, please!” he yelled to the sales woman.
“Oh my, what a lovely blue dress for your mate. I bet she’s real pretty, eh?” the woman teased with a wink.
Valdrik’s cheeks grew warm as he nodded and paid the woman. She wrapped it up for him and suggested a pair of matching sandals and a cloak. He paid for everything and as he took his packages, she pointed out an accessory salesman just a few stalls down the market. “If blue is her color, you might find a few interesting pieces down there. The jeweler is quite talented.”
Valdrik thanked her and headed for the stall. There were indeed many high quality pieces laid about. Excited to please his mate, he chose a few and headed back to the ship. Upon entering his room, he noticed Es was still in the bath. He hung up the cloak, dropped the sandals among his spare boots, lay out the dress and hid the jewelry. Then, he knocked on the door. “Es? Can I come in?”
“Of course, you can. It’s your room, isn’t it?” she giggled.
He entered with a smile and knelt down until he was eye level with her. He reached out and stroked her wet hair, which felt like wet silk beneath his palm. “I found a dress for you. I hope it fits you well.”
She raised her eyebrows and smiled. “You’ve always had a good eye for things like that, so I trust you.”
“I also got you a pair of sandals and a cloak,” he said.
Es stuck out her bottom lip and he laughed. He knew she hated wearing shoes, and he’d let her go around barefoot as much as possible, but there would be a need for shoes for now. He made a mental note to get her a few more outfits more weather appropriate, depending on the planet’s climate, as well as a body suit. If she’d even wear it.
Probably not, he thought.
“I’ll leave you to get dressed, alright Love?” he said.
Again, she pouted.
He tilted his head, confused.
She smirked as she stood up on her knees and bent over the edge of the tub to place a kiss on his nose. He had a full view of her breasts, and she wasn’t trying in the least to hide anything from him. She sat back down in the water with a cat’s grin on her face. She could hardly contain her laughter as he sat there with cheeks so hot they could boil water.
Ӝ
Es was still giggling as they walked down the corridor. The look on his face when she let him see her naked for the first time had been priceless. He had been a bit timid at first, but then he had helped her dry off and brush her hair. She couldn’t help but swish her skirt around like a child; he had chosen the dress well. The material was soft, the design fit her well, and the skirt flowed out. The color reminded her of the blue sky back on Terra. The sandals, as much as she preferred not to wear anything on her feet, were a couple of shades darker than the dress and the cloak was white. All in all, a nicely chosen outfit, she felt.
Despite everything being nicely chosen, after a brief disagreement about the sandals, Valdrik had given in with a sigh and let her walk about barefoot for now. They concluded the disagreement that she could remain barefoot so long as she was on the ship. Much to her dismay, no matter how much she pouted and tried her puppy dog eyes, Valdrik stood firm and made her promise not to leave the ship without the sandals.
Es looked up at Valdrik, his face showing no sign of his earlier embarrassment. Fates knew she loved him like no other. She would die protecting him if she had to, and she knew he felt the same. He did search for her for over four centuries throughout several galaxies to find her, after all. She slipped an arm around his as she enjoyed the coolness of the floor on her bare feet. They come upon a doorway and his hand hovered on the monitor.
“Are you sure you feel up for this? You can rest if you need to,” he said as he looked at her with concern.
“I think I’ve slept more than enough for the last few days. And besides, as much as you gassed my cell, my body began to ache from sleeping all the time,” she pouted.
Valdrik looked surprised and apologized, swiping his hand over the monitor. The door swung open.
“Surprise! Welcome back, Princess!”
The room was full of happy, smiling people, most of which she didn’t recognize.
Kira was the first to step up and introduce himself. “Hello, Princess, I’m Kira, a member of Val’s crew. Don’t know if he told you, but we’ve all been looking forward to meeting you, Princess,” he said with a slight bow of his head.
“I am Vivaldi, Princess. I am honored to meet you, and, if you will permit it, please allow me to guard you, Princess. I am willing to assist you in any way that you may need,” the Pomeranian woman said.
“I am pleased to meet all of you. Please forgive me if I do not remember everyone’s names, it may take me some time. As for your request,” Es stated as she turned to Vivaldi, “From what Val has told me, I would most certainly feel safe in his First Officer’s care. Please take care of me,” she said with a smile.
“Ooh-hoo-hoo!”
Es turned around as Valdrik’s shoulders tensed up a little. She glanced at him and his scowl made her giggle. She turned toward the corridor to see Yasu stroll through it with a few of his own crew.
“Hello, my gorgeous Princess!” he chimed.
Es hugged him as she thought about how he hadn’t really changed at all either. He even looked the same for the most part. Like Valdrik, his rusty hair was as long as it always was and just as wild. His yellow-green eyes were as full of life and laughter as they were when they were younger. He and Valdrik were about the same size now, whereas he used to tower over Valdrik by a few inches. Like his younger brother, the military life had left its scars and bulked up his body.
“We have a little surprise for everyone,” he said with a wink in Valdrik’s direction.
A figure in a black cloak made its way through the crowd toward them. Once in front of Es, the figure removed its hood and Es’ knees gave out as the crowd around her gasp all at once. Valdrik caught her before she could hit the floor and eased her down. Her grip on his shirt was so tight her knuckles were as white as her face. The cloaked figure knelt before her with lavender eyes so full of sadness and regret that it seemed he would cry if she didn’t.
She didn’t know what to do. The room had gone silent and all eyes were on them. Should she smack him? Should she grab him and never let go? Should she yell at him or cry? Before she could make a decision, however, he spoke.
“I’m sorry, sis. Please forgive me. I had to leave you. Please understand that I did what I thought was best for you. I didn’t want you to get hurt,” Kalis explained.
Es reached out and touched his cheek. He was soft and warm. She touched his hair, as soft and gray as their mother’s. She looked deep into his lavender eyes and could see how much pain he was in just to be in front of her like this. So she did what she believed their mother would do. She pulled him to her chest and held him there as she cried with Valdrik’s arm around her shoulders.
He was alive. Her closest friend, her big brother, her dead brother, was alive. He was alive and with her right now. He wasn’t torn to shreds and turned into a bloody mess by their dead mother. As her sobs subsided, Kalis gently pulled away and kissed her cheek. He wrapped his arms around her and apologized once again.
“I won’t forgive you if you leave me again!” she told him.
He smiled. “I don’t plan on it.”
“Good! Now you have some explaining to do!” she replied as she thrust him away from her but kept him at arm’s length so that she could still touch him. Afraid that if she let go, he would disappear as if he were nothing more than a dream.
Valdrik pulled down the sheets as they prepared for bed. His beloved looked worn out despite having slept the last three days. After being reunited with her long dead brother, confronting Draconis about his father, and putting up with Yasu’s energetic antics, she needed to rest. “Es?”
“Hm?” she looked up at him.
“Time for bed, Love. Come on,” he said, walking over to her and helping her into bed.
Once he had her settled, he prepared himself for bed and slid in next to her. He turned out the light and lay down. Feeling her snuggle up against him, he moved his arm beneath her and wrapped it around her waist, drawing her close. He nuzzled her hair and listened to her breathing. After she drifted off to sleep, he soon followed.
Lotus: Dark Lotus Chronicles One Page 9
