by Voxley, Vi
The first person to come find her was Major Burton. She saw the man coming over the field, walking fast and surely without ever stepping on someone. He looked like he'd gone side by side with the Brions, earning him Paula's very grudging respect.
One quick look at him showed that the man had fared better than she had originally anticipated after the roof had come down upon them. He had been disoriented at first but now he seemed to be back to his usual gruff, but mostly capable, self.
"Major," she said, not lifting her eyes from the chest wound that needed her attention and sight more. "I see you've survived the day. I'm glad. You saved my life before. Thank you. It seems I'm a walking target today."
The man nodded, a knowing grin on his face.
"That might be. I bet you liked that chiseled alien more than me, huh? I saw the look on your face. Any second there, you were going to faint or just jump into his arms."
Oh good. You had my respect for a total of three seconds. I think that's a new record.
She didn't dignify that with an answer, even if the major had struck a nerve. She could feel a slight blush burning on her cheeks. Paula couldn't deny that she would have liked to spend her vacation days in the captain's arms, if she could permit herself to fall into the world of fantasies. She ripped herself out of her musings and glared at Burton, who was observing her with blatant glee.
"For the sake of you covering me in the headquarters before, I'm going to change the subject now," Paula said. "How is the war effort going?"
Like all militaristic brutes, the major immediately switched to his favorite topic.
"I'm not saying this lightly – you know I'm not a generous man – but those Brions sure can fight. I saw your boyfriend put his spear through three Hoolas at once. Then he lifted the weapon off the ground like it was a chopstick and slapped a fourth dead with it while the poor dopes were still falling off the blade."
Nice imagery. I wonder if the Hoolas will finally back down now.
"And the grove?" she went on, focusing on her stitch work more now that she was poking at flesh that could actually feel pain.
"Again with that damned grove," Burton growled. "It's there. We saw it off the top of that hill there,” he said, motioning behind himself vaguely. “There is a good half a million of these buggers between us and your bloody seeds. Do you know how many men I will lose trying to break through their lines? Even with your boy toy and his warriors helping?"
Paula didn't answer at once, finishing her work on the soldier and making sure he was still breathing when she was done. Then she sent up a beacon for the unconscious soldier and turned to the major, choosing her words carefully.
After all, it was the first time Burton's voice had been anything else than mocking or dismissive when talking to her.
He cared. In a coarse, ruthless way, he really did.
"I'm going to tell you the same as I told a young man today," Paula said, not turning her gaze from the major's. "No matter what happens, this is worth it. The Eden seeds are the cure for the new virus in the Kappa section. It's like the plague, only on a thousand worlds.
“The section is densely populated and like all bad things, it's insanely contagious. Thousands are sick as we speak. Soon, tens of thousands will be dying and then, millions will be lost. On every one of those thousand worlds.”
She paused, letting it sink in, even if it wasn’t the first or even the fifth time she’d told the major about it.
"The cure for it is beyond that hill, Major. Get going. My colleagues and I will do everything we can for your men."
Before the major could reply with a witty and biting comment, a deep voice rang out, nearly making Paula wince. She managed to stop herself at the last moment out of sheer will not to embarrass herself before the captain.
"Interesting," the Brion said, walking towards them, exuding the power and grace of a warrior god. "We were told Jumel was important, but not why."
Blood was dripping off of him, evidently that of his enemies. He didn’t seem any more exerted than when he’d jumped out of the fighter and saved her life, being the second man that day to do so.
"The Union wants to keep it as secret as possible," Paula heard herself replying despite the fact her eyes were undressing the captain with worrying speed, and not to check for injuries. "There are always those who would take advantage of a horrible situation. We're trying to avoid those. Chali traders, for example. They'd take the seeds and hide them somewhere to be sold for the price of half the Union."
The captain's face darkened at once.
"I believe they would," he agreed. "My general has recently had dealings with them. I regret to say that's exactly what they would do. There are some sinister people in the galaxy."
"So you understand?" Paula asked, hope seeping into her voice. "We need to get to the cure."
"We will," the captain said simply. "I promise you that."
Paula's sigh of relief was audible even on the battlefield. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the major looking at them with a cruel smile on his lips.
"I haven't had the chance to introduce myself," the captain said, looking at her with such deep emotion in his eyes that Paula felt overwhelmed by his attention. "I am Kerven. I am a captain of the Brion’s fleets above Jumel, under the command of General Braen. You told me you were a doctor? That's a healer, if I'm not mistaken?"
Paula smiled, feeling like a blushing teenager meeting her celebrity crush for the first time.
For the love of god, girl, get your act together! You have two degrees, whatever you do, don't giggle like a "blondie".
"Yes," she said with all the dignity she could muster when what her imagination wanted more than anything in the world at that moment was to get the captain naked and lick him all over. "A sort of a healer. I'm a surgeon. Right now, I'm sent here by the Galactic Union to make sure we get the cure the Kappa section needs."
"Admirable position," Kerven said, more than a hint of interest in his deep voice.
Paula didn't dare to look in Major Burton's direction.
"Now that I know what's going on here, I think I can form a plan," the captain went on, his lingering gaze leaving Paula with a feeling he'd just carved his initials into her heart. "Major, summon your officers. You should join us too, Miss Allen. We will need your expertise, someone to identify the seeds when my men secure the location."
"She likes to be called "Doctor" Allen," Burton cut in unhelpfully and it was all Paula could do not to slap him right then and there.
To her great pleasure, Kerven apparently picked up on the dynamic between them with ease.
The look he sent Paula told her he wasn't interested in or moved by Burton's words and it made her immensely glad. As they headed for the meeting, Kerven suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her to the shadow of one of the dropships, which hovering nearby as a shield against possible aerial strikes.
She narrowly caught herself from yelping as his strong grip locked around her wrist.
"Go ahead and arrange the war council," he called to Burton without lifting his deep blue eyes from Paula. "I need a moment with my – with Miss Allen."
"It's Paula," she said when the major had stomped away with what passed for a roll of his eyes and the captain led her to the ship.
As soon as they were out of sight of anyone on the field, the look on Kerven's face changed. For a second, she thought she'd said something wrong. Then she saw that the emotion behind the captain's eyes was anything but malevolent. It was nothing short of loving, in the endless, boundless kind of way only Brions were capable of.
Oh no…
She knew what he was going to say before the words left his lips.
"You are my gesha," Kerven said, pulling her closer to him.
His hands around her felt incredible, like he was born to wrap her into the embrace of those amazing, strong arms.
"You are my fated," the captain went on, ignoring the sound of an explosion somewhere on the battlefield. "Th
e one destined for me. From here on until the darkness takes me, I am yours and you are mine."
Oh boy. I was so wrong. I don't think "distraction" even begins to cover this.
6
Paula
Gesha.
The word used to be a mysterious term only applying to the distant and ominous Brions, but times had changed. Now the whole Galactic Union knew about their miraculous bonds and the fated couples – of the gerion and gesha.
Even on Terra that wasn't exactly the galactic center of anything, although they were very valued members of the Union.
Especially on Terra, given that several of the mighty Brion generals had found Terran brides. Kerven's own general, as well as seemingly most of the others, had a human fated, so the fact that she was apparently also one didn't come as such a surprise to Paula as it had been for the first of them.
Still, it knocked the air out of her lungs for several long moments.
Not good. Very bad timing. Why didn't you come around when I wasn't already married to the Union?
Brions didn't joke around with the words "forever" and "fated". They believed in their bonds with unshakeable faith and were willing to do anything for them. The Union even had certain exceptions for them, based on the unbreakable ties that the bond formed between the two people involved.
A Brion always put their fated first, above everything. Paula knew that much. She’d sighed wistfully at the concept just like about every other Terran woman, after the story of Diego and Isolde came to the attention of the general public.
It was daunting, to say the least. Which wasn't to say it was an unpleasant surprise, necessarily.
Just a surprise, for now.
Paula bit back the question of whether he was sure. Brions were always sure about those things. The warrior species hadn't developed a very sophisticated sense of humor to begin with and they most certainly didn't joke around with the thing they held most sacred.
Instead, she said, "I see."
Once again, great wording. They should put that on a greeting card. “What to say when a man promises his heart to you for life.”
Shaking her head clear of self-deprecating humor, Paula smiled, knowing that the first moments were vital in establishing a relationship with a Brion man. The other geshas, the brides of the generals, had all had their stories published. She'd read all of them and knew what to avoid.
Calling the bond foolish. Doubting it. Also, hiveminds.
She had picked up a few other core truths about the matter. As Kerven regarded her with his bottomless blue eyes, a fire burning in the depths like a firework display under water, Paula considered her choices in life.
Other than her career, there wasn't much to revise. She'd been so focused on getting to where she needed to be that human interaction had somewhat suffered and her romantic life had been non-existent for a while. So the six-footer in front of her was a dish for the eyes and the heart both.
The captain looked like he'd just stepped off some illustration about the perfection of the male body. As a member of the medical personnel, Paula would know, and be entirely prepared and certified to admire it.
The one thing that raced through her mind at the speed of lightning was the conclusion of all the tales of the Brion brides. Every last one of them gave in. No fighting, no stubbornness, no argument held against the sheer charisma, power and emotion of the Brion men. Nothing compared to them and they were undeniably superior to every other male creature that walked the galaxy.
That might also be the core problem of their arrogance.
Paula realized she hadn't said anything for almost a minute. The smile on Kerven's lips and the flicker in his eyes told her that he knew perfectly well how many layers down she was in ripping the armor off his body with her gaze.
It was embarrassing, but Paula knew there was no need for it. Her gerion welcomed it, undoubtedly.
"Do you know what that means?" he asked her.
It means you think I'm yours, no questions asked.
It suddenly occurred to Paula how private the dropship was. There didn't seem to be anyone around. She would have said a few strong words about premature presumptions if she wasn't so turned on by his mere presence.
Even without his little rescue act before, everything about Kerven spoke about masculinity in its purest form and she couldn't resist him any more than a bee could resist a flower.
Still, a woman had to have some pride. War was no place to start falling head over heels for someone, right?
"I do," she said. "It means you want me to come with you when you leave this planet and take up the permanent position of a bed-warmer. I see you plan to begin right now from our lack of company, although I must point out the bed is also missing."
Halfway through the sentence, Paula realized that it might not have been the smartest way to talk to a Brion, but she couldn't stop herself. To her amazement, Kerven didn't seem to mind her tone at all, or the argument itself.
"I would be thrilled to have you in my bed," he growled, the sexy, deep voice tearing right through all the barriers Paula thought she had.
Even listening to that man was better than half the guys she'd been with. Every syllable was etched with confidence and vigor. The captain was a man who took what he wanted and Paula didn't need to look very deeply to see what he wanted was her.
She'd never liked the thought of being prey for someone more than in that moment.
"Only you are my gesha," Kerven went on, becoming serious. "It may seem to you and many other species in the galaxy that with that word, Brions lay a claim on a woman and carry her off somewhere. That is not even close to the truth. You are my fated and my equal. I will not force you, but don't think for a second I will leave you."
"It takes a Brion to make that sound like a compliment and praise – to promise not to force me into anything."
The captain still didn't seem even a little offended. Instead, the fire in his eyes blew into an inferno as he took a step closer and Paula realized suddenly how very close they were. Her back was against the wall, literally.
And the most gorgeous man in existence was inches from her, his armor pressing against her chest. A part of her wanted to protest, but a much more insistent voice complained about the metal plate being in the way of what she needed.
"Perhaps not a compliment," Kerven said, speaking the words, almost touching her lips. "I said I wouldn't do anything you didn't want me to do, but your body speaks for you louder than you might imagine.
“Brions have very good hearing. I can tell how fast your heart beats when I'm close, how your breath catches when I look at you.
"How wet your pussy is when I press against you like this. There isn't much you don't want me to do."
The books weren't lying. The body is a prize and a half, but to get there, you have to bypass the unbelievable arrogance.
"Clever," she told him dryly, trying very hard not to allow herself to blush at the truth of his words. "I know your kind can read things like that, but everything you said is irrelevant. It's just a reaction, that's all."
"Is it?" Kerven asked, inching closer still until Paula barely had any room to stand, surrounded at all sides by the captain, enveloped in his strong, fierce scent. "I don't think so."
He leaned in to kiss her and Paula met his lips, unthinking, her eyes fluttering closed. Judging by the soft smile on his lips, Kerven wasn't surprised in the slightest. It made her want to slap him, but the lust flaring to life in her veins was stronger than she had anticipated.
All at once, there was no part of her that wanted to resist that man, offering her everything she could have ever wanted. With only the price of admitting that it was what she wanted attached to the deal.
His mouth on hers was demanding and passionate, drinking her in like she was the sweetest drink. Kerven's lips were claiming hers, pulling at them softly, his tongue slipping into her mouth to explore her inch by inch.
She melted into the embrace, forgetting
everything but him, desire crackling between them, burning hot. Opening her eyes for a second, Paula saw that the arrogant smirk was gone. Under the surface of that relatively simple exchange, she could sense some great force binding him to her as the captain pulled her up into his arms, his hands running over her body, unchecked.
Her mouth opened of its own volition, perhaps partly from pride, and partly because both of them were supposed to be somewhere else, saving lives and taking them.
"You presume way too much, Captain."
Kerven merely laughed, his hands never ceasing their wondrous movement over her body like he was marking every curve and drop of her for further examination later.
"I presume nothing," he assured her, the deep voice dropping low again.
"I don't know what you call this on Briolina, but–"
"The same as you, I imagine. If you do not want me, my gesha, all you have to do is say it. Tell me to stop."
His lips were back on hers before Paula could utter a single word. Kerven was quickly robbing her of all knowledge of language. Her body was reacting in all the ways he had counted, she was rubbing herself shamelessly against him, looking for more contact, more friction.
No power alive could have dragged the word "no" over her lips in that moment and Kerven must have known it.
"You are mine," the captain whispered to her before pulling away, leaving Paula aching for him and his closeness.
Yours, the word flashed through her mind, but she caught it before it could slip over her tongue.
"The council awaits," Kerven said, his eyes still burning for her. "Come, my gesha. Once we resolve this war, we are free to make our bond real. With an actual bed, if you prefer."
She followed him out of the empty dropship, her mind spinning. There was no question as to what the captain had meant, which gave her about fifteen minutes to form an argument why she couldn't run off with an alien warrior.
It was surprisingly hard, when the only thought that occurred to her was: No bed necessary.
