“Please join me at the high table. We can go over the details and, considering everything goes well, there will be a celebration tonight in honor of a successful negotiation.” Lilith smiled. “We at Staria love any reason to celebrate.”
* * *
“How are you feeling? It’s been six hours,” Sebastjan touched his wife’s arm. He knew he was concerned without reason. She smiled brightly at him, her cheeks flushed, her laugh warm, her eyes bright.
Turning her gaze from where she looked over the hall of Starian people, Ariella leaned over to kiss him. “I’m well. I promise. Now, try your drink. You wouldn’t want to be rude.”
Sebastjan looked at the goblet before him. He liked to think he was open-minded and didn’t live in fear, but having been raised on a sterile planet, with sustenance that was specifically designed for him, he found himself apprehensive to try what the Starians put before them.
At Ariella’s playfully challenging gaze, he lifted the goblet to his lips and sipped. The sweet flavor was strange, like nothing he’d ever had before, and though completely different he couldn’t help sipping again.
“You look like a child who was just given his first sweet.” Ariella laughed.
Sebastjan took another drink. The hall erupted into a crescendo of good-natured laughter and cheering, though he hardly thought the merriment directed at his bravery in tasting the foreign drink. The men who filled the large area were boisterous and loud and covered in primitive black markings and scars. The women danced and laughed and teased. He’d never seen any gathering of people so happy. A raw, potent energy radiated from them—expressed in male posturing, female temptations and an unapologetically open sexuality.
“Mm,” Ariella whispered against his ear. “I’m proud of you. That couldn’t have been easy for you to try a drink from here.”
As the heat from her lips brushed against him, Sebastjan took a deep breath. Lust threaded through his veins, emanating from the drink in his stomach, filtering through his limbs, filling his cock. A few of the couples in the crowd kissed passionately and, though he couldn’t be one hundred percent sure, he thought he’d seen a couple of women slip beneath the tables to pleasure their men.
“I see you’re not like your father in many ways,” Lilith said, joining them. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes glistened with an inner mischief. Sebastjan stiffened, glad the table hid his arousal. “He never partakes of our foods.”
A giant of a man sat next to Lilith. He snorted at her comment but didn’t speak. Dark hair framed his face in thick waves, not so long as to touch his shoulders. His eyes were a hard brown, until he looked at Lilith. Then they softened.
Sebastjan relaxed and smiled. Feeling strangely calm, he said, “My father and I agree on very little.”
Lady Lilith knew a lot about his homeworld, having been there several times before her present assignment on Staria. The few times he’d met with her, he found her likable and easy to talk to. She had been a great source of information about this new plane and was the whole reason trade had been set up between Staria and Chiron in the first place.
“May I present my husband, Lord Sorin of Firewall,” Lilith said, gesturing to the big man next to her.
“Welcome,” Sorin said, nodding. Like the other men, his manners and voice were gruff. He exuded an almost violent charm, as if at any moment he’d jump up from his seat and begin to fight. Looking at the man’s fists, Sebastjan knew he’d be deadly.
“I’ve ordered rooms readied for you, should you decide to stay,” Lilith said, leaning forward to look at Ariella. “You are most welcome. I’d be happy to show you around the city market tomorrow. You might enjoy it.”
“Can we?” Ariella asked him. Sebastjan saw her excitement and nodded. Her hand brushed his leg. At that moment, he’d give her almost anything.
Have you ever thought about it? Just going to a new dimension and never coming back here? Her words echoed through him. In that moment, if she were to ask him to leave everything behind for her, he’d say yes.
“Wonderful!” Lilith announced. She continued to speak, but Sebastjan couldn’t think past the hand resting on his thigh.
* * *
Ariella grinned, knowing she had to look like a drunken fool but unable to help it. The heady liquor affected her body. Even the meal of warm bread, seasoned meats and delicious cheeses couldn’t counteract the effects of the alcohol. She wasn’t sure she wanted it to. Staria wasn’t exactly home, but it was strong and primal and the exact opposite of Chiron.
Somewhere in the hall a woman screamed playfully. The sound was followed by a sharp rise in male laughter. Lilith paused in her conversation with her husband. It was clear to all she was in love with the man.
Ariella turned her gaze to Sebastjan. “I like being here. It’s almost like my visit to Asclepius never happened.”
“I’m glad it did,” Sebastjan answered. His eyes had a slight glaze to them. Fingers slid onto her thigh, massaging the muscle. “If you never visited my world, we wouldn’t be here now.” His hand moved to her hip. “We never would have met.” He touched her waist, drawing her against his side. “I think to never have met you would have been a sad thing indeed.”
Sebastjan turned to Lilith, whispering to the woman. Within moments, a guard was leading them through the passageways toward a private sleeping chamber complete with trunk, large fur-covered bed and a disturbing amount of weaponry hanging on the wall. A fire burned in a fireplace, heating the room and casting it with flickering orange light.
“This place.” Sebastjan looked around. “It’s like a child’s tale from school. I feel like I’ve stepped into a book.”
“I felt like that the first time I went through the portals,” Ariella admitted. She pulled on this shirt, drawing him near. “I walked around, feeling as if nothing was real or that I’d stepped into some sort of strange underground society on my world instead being in a Divinity facility.”
“Oh, I definitely feel as if this world is real.” He grinned, stroking her cheek. “Very real, and soft, and pretty and—”
Ariella laughed, cutting him off. “And perhaps a little drunk?”
“Perhaps a little. I’ve never felt quite like this from the liquor on our plane.” He gave her a lopsided grin. “Though, that could be because at the first sign of any fun, the medical systems alert us to take a shot of correction medication.” Before she could again speak, he kissed her. He rocked his hips against her, letting her feel the unmistakable ache of his desire. When he stopped, he held her close. “I’ve never felt quite like this around any other woman.”
He placed his hands on the small of her back, rubbing in circles. Desire wound through her body, unfurling from her stomach. Ariella ran her fingers into his hair. She tasted the sweet tang of liquor on his tongue when they kissed. She wanted him desperately, wanted to feel him inside her. His kisses became aggressive as he nipped at her mouth, drawing her bottom lip between his teeth.
A weight had lifted from her the moment they stepped through the portal and her mood only continued to lighten the longer they stayed in Battlewar Castle. Moaning weakly, she turned her mouth from his and took a deep breath.
“Let’s never leave,” Ariella whispered. “Let’s stay here and make love every night. You can be a lord and I a lady. We’ll get a castle. I’ll wear tight, corseted dresses. You’ll tend to battle wounds and heal scars.”
“You have no idea how tempting that is right now.” Sebastjan nuzzled her throat, devouring her with deep, passionate kisses. He traced his tongue along her jawline to her ear, where he nipped the lobe. His hard breath resounded in her ear. “You taste sweet.”
Her heart beat wildly. Before she realized what was happening, he had her undressed. Sebastjan tossed her clothes aside and began working on his own.
Ariella crawled onto the large bed. The fur tickled in all the right ways. She stretched her arms over her head, lengthening her body. Sebastjan watched with eager eyes. The second his sh
irt hit the floor, he crawled onto the bed and stretched out next to her.
“Don’t move,” he said, drawing the back of his hand along the valley of her breasts. His touch whispered over her flesh, sweeping over her stomach and legs, circling her knees, traveling between her parted thighs before making the trip back up her body.
Ariella squirmed restlessly against the bed. Sebastjan moved to settle between her knees. She reached for him, stroking his hair as he placed tiny kisses against her inner thighs.
“So soft and smooth,” he said, licking the tender flesh were leg met pussy. Ariella tensed as he blew lightly against the sensitive bud of her sex. He took his time, drawing out the pleasure until she begged him to finish it. He slipped a finger inside her, wiggling and stroking her pussy.
She clutched at his shoulders, pulling him up. He kissed a breast on his way past, before bringing his cock to the slick folds of her sex. A light sheen of sweat covered them, causing the fur to stick to her back. Sebastjan entered her hard and sure. She gasped at the wondrous sensations.
The world seemed to spin around them. Sensations flooded through her, propelled on by the thrusting of their bodies, the soft pants of her voice and the harder grunts of his. Suddenly, she came, tensing as pleasure rippled over her. His release met hers in loud, primitive awareness.
Sebastjan rolled onto the mattress next to her. Ariella watched him close his eyes and take a deep, steadying breath. She placed her hand on his chest to feel the fast beat of his heart and he instantly covered it with his own. She wanted to breathe him in for the rest of her life. She wanted to live in that moment forever, surrounded by the stone of castle walls, lightheaded from a combination of drink and sex.
“I think I love you, Ariella,” he whispered.
She smiled, watching to see if he’d open his eyes and say more. He didn’t, but that didn’t lessen her pleasure at his admission. “I think I love you too, Sebastjan.”
Chapter Seven
Sebastjan’s head throbbed, keeping a steady tempo with his heartbeat. Each thump sent a sharp pain from behind his eyes down the back of his head to his neck. He suddenly appreciated the medical monitoring on his home plane. One shot would cure both his drumming head and his blurred vision.
Ariella looked to be in as much pain as he. She kept her movements to a minimum, often rubbing her temples with the tips of her fingers. With the morning, they both realized it would be impossible to stay in Staria, though Lady Lilith did invite them back for a visit whenever they wanted. Ariella readily agreed and promised to return for the tour of the marketplace.
“Good luck with those hangovers.” Lilith chuckled as the blue light from the Starian portal washed over them. This time, as the portal activated, taking them back to his home dimension, he was prepared for the sensation of his body being torn apart. Being prepared didn’t help his aching head.
Once back in the Central Hospital, a loud alarm sounded. The familiar smell of the hospital’s air filtering sterilizer washed over him, cleaning their bodies and clothes.
“Sterilization commencing,” the automated male voice commanded. “Please move away from the platform.”
They obeyed. A shield came down, blocking the platform from the scan as a series of lights flashed over them, sweeping them for parasites and viruses from parallel worlds.
“Sterilization complete. Welcome back, Dr. Walter. Welcome back, Sans Ariella. Please move to the orange door.”
Instead, Sebastjan went to the wall monitor and brought up Ariella’s stats. Studying them, he grinned. “The inter-dimensional travel worked. You’re fine. Whatever was in your system is gone now.”
Ariella touched her temple. “I wouldn’t say fine. I still feel the effects of the drinking sickness.”
“That is easily cured. I’ll find a syringe we can use.” He pulled her with him. “If we hurry, we might be able to get out of here before my father comes to lecture us for not returning yesterday.”
* * *
Ariella wasn’t one to press her luck when it came to the Medical Supreme, but even she was a little worried when he didn’t seek them out at the hospital and wasn’t at home. It wasn’t like the man to miss an opportunity to lecture. Was it possible Walter had decided to stay out of Sebastjan and her lives? Somehow, she highly doubted it.
“He probably does not wish to face us before we leave for the research facility,” Sebastjan said, tossing her travel bag inside the transport.
“But, you have to admit it is strange.” She looked up at the mansion, almost unable to believe she was really free. “It’s not like him to run away from a problem.”
Sebastjan followed her gaze. “You’re right, but it’s just as well. If I saw him, I’d most likely hit him for what he’s done. And as much as I hate it, he is Medical Supreme.”
“You can’t fight the king,” Ariella finished for him with an old saying from her homeworld. “He’s too powerful. I’m just happy to be getting out of the city with our lives and our health.”
“We can’t fight him, but we can be a nuisance,” Sebastjan said. “This isn’t finished.”
“I think the best punishment is to never visit, never speak, never transmit to him. He thrives on the attention. Let’s not give it to him.” Ariella let him help her into the transport.
When he joined her, giving one last glance at the tall mansion, he said, “At least until we have enough evidence against him to do damage. This time he’s gone too far.”
As the transport door closed, Ariella sighed and settled against her husband. “Can we discuss revenge later? I just want to enjoy—”
“Sebastjan!” A loud knock sounded outside the transport. “Wait!”
“Who is that?” Ariella asked.
Sebastjan reached to open the transport door. “Dr. Lu? What are you doing here?”
“It’s your father,” Dr. Lu answered.
“What has he done now?” Sebastjan grimaced.
“He’s sick,” Dr. Lu said. “Something new we haven’t seen before. He collapsed soon after you left. Dr. Swift was called back from his ambassadorial duties and has the Medical Supreme isolated in a private care center. We don’t want to cause any panic. That’s why they sent me to come find you.”
Dr. Lu stepped into the transport, nodding once at Ariella before entering new coordinates. Soon they moved through the city streets.
“What’s wrong with him?” she asked. “You don’t have any idea?”
Dr. Lu opened his mouth, but gave Sebastjan a hesitant look and didn’t speak.
“Talk frankly,” Sebastjan said. “We both know what my father has done.”
Dr. Lu studied Ariella briefly before nodding. “We suspect whatever he had given you, Sans Ariella, has mutated. We’ve tested the off-plane doctors and all other recent visitors, but they show no signs of the disease. So far, it is contained. Dr. Swift has recommended full lockdown quarantine. That is all I know at this time.”
The transport moved through the city toward the edge of town and stopped before a small square building. The place looked like a warehouse unit with plain exterior walls, flat roof and nondescript stone walkway. Dr. Lu glanced around before stepping quickly out onto the quiet street. He lifted his hand to help Ariella down before leading the way into the front door.
Dimly lit pathways were formed between stacks of wooden crates. They were marked with strange symbols she couldn’t read. After taking several turns, they finally came to a dead end. Dr. Lu reached for the crate blocking their path and opened it. Inside stairs led down into the floor.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“The quarantine laboratory,” Sebastjan answered. “We cannot risk keeping the Medical Supreme where he will be seen by others. If word spreads that he is sick, and sick with something we have not seen before, people will panic.”
“The problem with a medical plane,” Dr. Lu interjected, “is that we do not handle the reality of an epidemic well. In theory, we are invaluable as doctors.
In practice…” He lifted his hand to the side in a helpless gesture.
“In practice, it has been so long since our world has seen an epidemic that the people tend to panic at the very idea,” Sebastjan said. “The concept is practically unheard of.”
“We pride ourselves on our health,” Dr. Lu added.
“I see,” Ariella said, though their admission hardly surprised her.
At the bottom of the stairs, Dr. Lu opened a door. Light streamed in from the laboratory. In the center of the large room the Medical Supreme rested on a bed surrounded by thick plastic. His ashen features were pulled tight, but his eyes remained as sharp as ever. She could feel the displeasure pouring off him. He didn’t like being trapped.
Ariella felt a strange sense of power and fear wash over her—power to see him helpless as she’d once been and fear that whatever was happening to him would eventually happen to her. What if she wasn’t cured? What if it didn’t matter if she was? Would the people of Chiron let her roam free? Or would they lock her up out of fear?
Sebastjan took her arm. “He can’t harm you. Nothing will harm you. I promise.”
She quickly nodded her head in understanding, believing her husband meant what he said. Whispering, she asked, “What if I have what he has?”
“It would have shown up on your scans when you arrived through the portal,” Dr. Lu answered.
“Don’t stare at me as if I’m on my deathbed,” the Medical Supreme ordered. “I still have my wits about me.”
“That has always been debatable,” Sebastjan answered, walking closer to the isolation booth. “I’m assuming you sent for us?”
“You were supposed to be back yesterday,” Walter said.
“I will leave you in privacy to speak,” Dr. Lu said, walking quickly through the doorway and up the stairs.
“And yet we came back today,” Sebastjan said. Ariella felt the tension in his back and felt sorry for him. For all that the Medical Supreme had done, he was still Sebastjan’s father. “The great thing about you being in there, Father, is that we don’t have to stay and listen to you. So, tell me, what is it you want?”
Ariella's Keeper (Divinity Healers) Page 8
